Hospice Care
What is hospice care?
Hospice programs are available to help terminally ill individuals live their remaining days with dignity. These programs can assist the family (or other designated caregiver) in making the patient as comfortable as possible, and assistance is available around the clock, seven days a week. Hospice is primarily a concept of care, not a specific place of care. Hospice care usually is provided in the patient’s home. It also can be made available at a special hospice residence. Hospice is a combination of services designed to address not only the physical needs of patients, but also the psychosocial needs of patients, their loved ones. Hospice combines pain control, symptom management and emotional and spiritual support. Seniors and their families participate fully in the health care provided. The hospice team develops a care plan to address each patient’s individual needs. The hospice care team usually includes:
- The terminally ill patient and his or her family caregiver(s)
- Doctor
- Nurses
- Home health aides
- Clergy or other spiritual counselors (e.g., minister, priest, rabbi)
- Social workers
- Volunteers (if needed, and trained to perform specific tasks)
- Occupational, physical, and/or speech therapists (if needed).
As with many end-of-life decisions, the choice to enroll in a hospice care program is a deeply personal thing. It depends almost as much on the patient’s philosophy of living and spiritual beliefs as it does on his or her physical condition and the concerns of family members. The following case study shows how one patient decided that hospice care was what she wanted and why it was right for her:
How does hospice care work?
Typically, a family member serves as the primary caregiver and, when appropriate, helps make decisions for the terminally ill individual. Members of the hospice staff make regular visits to assess the patient and provide additional care or other services. Hospice staff are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hospice team develops a care plan that meets each patient’s individual needs for pain management and symptom control. The team usually consists of:
- The patient and family/caregiver;
- The patient’s personal physician;
- Hospice physician (or medical director);
- Nurses;
- Home health aides;
- Social workers;
- Clergy or other counselors;
- Trained volunteers;
- Speech, physical, and occupational therapists, if needed.
How does hospice care begin?
Typically, hospice care starts as soon as a formal request or “referral” is made by the patient’s doctor. Often a hospice program representative will make an effort to visit the patient on the day the referral is made, providing the visit meets the needs and schedule of the patient and family/caregiver. Usually, care is ready to begin within a day or two of a referral. However, in urgent situations, service may begin sooner.
Is hospice available after hours?
Hospice care is available “on-call” after the administrative office has closed, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Most hospices have nurses available to respond to a call for help within minutes, if necessary. Some hospice programs have chaplains and social workers on call, as well.
Credit: National Institute of Health.