Hospice care provides medical services, emotional support, and spiritual resources for people who are in the last stages of a terminal illness, such as cancer or heart failure. Hospice care also helps family members manage the practical details and emotional challenges of caring for a dying loved one.
The goal of hospice treatment is to keep you comfortable and improve your quality of life while you are dying. This philosophy is a shift from usual medical treatments, in which health...
Hospice services generally include:
-Basic medical care with a focus on pain and symptom control.
-Medical supplies and equipment as needed.
-Counseling and social support to help you and your family with psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues.
-Guidance with the difficult, but normal, issues of life completion and closure.
-A break (respite care) for caregivers, family, and others who regularly care for you.
-Volunteer support such as meal...
You and your family should do this early in your care while you have the strength and ability to take part in the decision. Quality of care, availability of needed services, the types of services covered, staff training and expertise, and insurance coverage all need to be considered. Most communities have more than one hospice provider you can choose from.