Hospice.
It's something that people don't really like to talk about. Why? Because a lot of people associate negative things with the word hospice. So what is it?
Merriam-Webster's definition of hospice is: "a program designed to provide palliative care and emotional support to the terminally ill in a home or homelike setting so that quality of life is maintained and family members may be active participants in care ." Sounds pretty great, right?
Hospice is a phenomenal program that not only helps terminally ill patients (which are usually patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live) but their families as well. Hospice provides palliative care, which is the treatment of the symptoms of a disease. Hospice will not work to cure a person, but it will work hard to make sure that the patient is comfortable and living the best quality of life possible.
The problem lies in the perception of hospice to those who are unfamiliar with it. Many people see hospice care as a death sentence; this is simply not true. Hospice care is available to people who are terminally ill in order to treat their symptoms. While it is not a cure, it is not a death sentence either. In speaking with healthcare professionals who have first-hand experience in observing or even providing hospice care, many will give not only give adamant testament that hospice care is not a death sentence, but will even tell you that hospice has improved patient lives so much so that patients are taken off of hospice!
Now, I shouldn't make generalizations. While many hospice workers and healthcare professionals see and give quality care, there are always a few bad apples in the bunch (as there are in any profession). Some people really do experience bad hospice care, but in my experience and to my knowledge those individuals are few and far between. I've had the pleasure to work with several hospice nurses, and while I've only just begun working in the healthcare field recently, every hospice nurse I have met has been extremely dedicated, passionate, and hard-working.
Another problem lies in how long hospice care is put off before the individual who needs the care receives it. Often times, hospice care is brought in much too late. The earlier hospice is introduced into a patient's life, the better quality of life they will experience. Hospice nurses will work hard to make sure that a patient is living his or her best life, and isn't that what you would want for your loved one?
Hospice care also provides emotional support not only to patients but to their families as well. Stress and grief are difficult to cope with, and hospice provides services to assist patients and families with coping. In my own experience, I've seen the toll that taking care of a terminally ill loved on can have on a person; allowing hospice to help not only benefits the patient, but the family as well.
Instead of bearing the burden of your or your loved one's terminal illness all on your own, please consider allowing hospice services to assist you and/or your loved one.
For more information on hospice services and who qualifies for them, please visit http://www.nhpco.org/ or talk to your healthcare provider.
