According to a 2015 study conducted by the National Center for Health and Statistics, there are approximately 1.4 million people receiving hospice care in the United States. With such a large percentage of the population receiving this form of care, it’s imperative to know what exactly the connotations of hospice are!
More importantly, it’s important to know what hospice care is not! The following will explore five common myths about hospice and reveal the reality beyond the mistruth.
Hospice is a Stationary Place
Contrary to popular belief, hospice is not a partitioned room in a hospital. Instead, hospice is a mobile form of care. Thus, it can occur anywhere, be it at your home with a home-care provider, an assisted living facility, a hospital, etc.
Hospice is for the Last Weeks of Life
Although many believe that hospice is reserved for the last vestiges of life, it can be administered for months on end. In fact, end of life care can begin as early as six months prior to assumed prognosis of death.
It Can Only Benefit The Ill
Although this form of care centers around an end of life patient, it is not solely for them. Hospice care can help all loved ones through the process of grieving. This can be accomplished through spiritual counseling, quality time, and other methods of finding peace. Many providers will also offer bereavement services to family members after their loved one’s passing.
Family Members Need to Be Constant Caregivers
Hospice is not dependent on the caregiving ability of family and friends. In fact, many programs provide home health aids, counselors, volunteers, and a whole myriad of relevant professionals to help within care.
Choosing Hospice is Giving Up
There is an insidious belief within the healthcare community that choosing hospice is, in effect, choosing to give up. This belief can sway many ailing people and their loved ones from choosing hospice, because they would like to “keep fighting.”
Yet, it should be stated that opting for hospice care is not giving up. Opting for hospice care with certified nursing assistants is to choose how you want to spend your days. It allows for time spent with loved ones, spiritual reflection, and days spent finding peace and comfort.
There are even some cases where quality of life is improved through hospice: this improvement is so pronounced that they actually outlive their initial prognosis!