All things considered, the concept of hospice care is relatively new to the United States.
The origins have been traced back to midcentury England when a physician named Dame Cicely Saunders founded the first modern hospice in 1967. She and her practice provided compassionate care and pain and symptom control for patients with terminal illnesses.
And in 1969, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote a book called On Death and Dying, in which she interviewed 500 terminally-ill patients. Her book describes how important home care and participation in healthcare decision-making were for these patients in particular.
Not until recent decades did hospice care take root in America – but its impact is nearly immeasurable.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice is a type of medical care that is focused on comfort rather than cures. When a patient no longer wishes to pursue aggressive treatment for their chronic or life-limiting illness, or if treatments no longer work, hospice provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support for patients and their families.
Who Can Receive Hospice Care?
In general, to qualify for hospice care, a patient has six months or fewer to live, based on their physician’s estimates, due to their chronic or terminal condition.
Anyone with an end-stage illness can receive hospice care, including children, young adults, middle-aged adults, and the elderly. Common illnesses that can no longer be treated may include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, certain lung conditions, ALS, and more.
What Does Hospice Care Entail?
The goal of hospice care is to make the patient feel as comfortable as possible by managing pain and symptoms, fostering independence, and improving overall quality of life. Hospice counseling helps patients and their families come to terms with what is happening, while nurses and a hospice doctor care for the patient.
As chronic illness progresses, patients may require additional care, such as help eating and bathing, which hospice can also provide. Many hospice programs also offer physical therapy to help patients maintain mobility for as long as possible.
Every hospice patient receives a personalized care plan, created in collaboration with all members of the hospice care team. The care plan addresses a patient’s needs, plus provides respite and peace of mind for family members. Some hospice programs also offer a bereavement benefit.
How Common is Hospice Care?
According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), 1.6 million Americans receive hospice care every year, although more are eligible. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society estimates that about 2,700 people in America experience non-sudden deaths without hospice care, with hospice utilization at just 52.4% of those who could benefit.
Access to hospice care is clearly vital, but many Americans either do not know about it or do not know how to access this beneficial healthcare service.
How Much Does Hospice Care Cost?
In the United States, about 44% of American adults struggle to pay healthcare costs. However, this does not have to be the case with hospice care.
Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurance policies cover the cost of hospice for as long as a patient requires it.
What Are the Benefits of Hospice Care?
Receiving hospice care provides great benefits to patients and their families. These can include:
● Patient dignity and independence, even while facing terminal illness
● Improved patient safety
● Respite care and bereavement care for family members and family caregivers
● Comfort for patients
● Symptom and pain management
● Assistance with tasks of daily living, as needed
● Peace of mind
● Access to community resources, available through an assigned medical social worker
● Help with advance planning, including medical power of attorney documents or advance directives
What Does Hospice Care Really Mean for the Terminally Ill?
Hospice care allows patients to face their chronic and incurable illnesses with less fear and pain, and more brighter days ahead. In fact, chronically ill patients who have ceased treatment for their diseases in favor of hospice care are likely to live longer than those who do not pursue hospice care, according to a 2007 report by the NHPCO.
You see, hospice does not bring about death more quickly; it prolongs the quality of life for patients instead, so they can enjoy their remaining time more fully. The NHPCO adds that hospice care prevents the risk of over-treatment of conditions, provides additional healthcare monitoring, and increases the desire to continue living through supporting emotional well-being and physical health.
Where Can I Find Hospice Care in My Area?
Ask your physician whether you qualify for hospice care. If you do, your doctor may recommend an agency. You can also ask friends or colleagues for recommendations and read online reviews of hospice care providers in your area.