Hospice Care

I worked for Intermountain Home Health & Hospice for 8 months until I decided I wanted to be home full time, so I quit the job about 4 months after Nelson was born. That was almost 2 years ago. I would like to describe what hospice is and the benefits of it because I have found that many people have misperceptions about hospice. You may find yourself involved with a family member or friend on hospice at some point in your life, so this is applicable to everyone. Some of us have already experienced this with a family member as well.

To be admitted to hospice care, you must have a terminally ill diagnosis with less than 6 months to live. You can receive hospice services in your own home, in a care facility, or in the hospital. It is designed to assist people to be comfortable until death. Most people associate hospice with pain management and the ability to die at home. Here are some other things to think about...

The benefits:

• Care is directed by a physician who has a team of nurses, nurse aides, social workers, and chaplains available 24 hours a day (this includes daily living activities like showering, bathing, eating, toileting, etc).
• Volunteers can visit in home and provide respite care (not medical care, but basically like baby-sitting if family needs a break)
• Home care with access to a hospital type bed, oxygen, medications
• Bereavement follow-up for the family after loved one has died
• Patient's ability to pay has no bearing on acceptance to hospice (it is government-run through Medicare, so essentially it is covered 100% through Medicare part A and many insurance plans also cover hospice)

If you have never seen a terminally ill person pass away, count your blessings! There are so many things that happen to our bodies as we die that I never really understood until working for hospice. The intense pain, fluid issues, loss of bodily functions, restlessness, gurgling breathing, etc. are all things that a patient can experience. Hospice care through trained doctors and nurses is essential to maintaining comfort, especially in a patient's own home.

Hospice organizations would like to see more people join hospice earlier on in their terminal illness diagnosis so that patients and families can experience all benefits of the program. A big misconception among people I have talked to is that hospice is a bad, negative thing. In reality, it is a very good program designed to help families take care of their dying loved one. 

So, when you hear that someone is "going on hospice" remember it is a good thing! Obviously not a good thing they have a terminal illness, but definitely a great way to receive the needed medical and emotional help they will need!