Hospice is a unique form of care that focuses on increasing the quality of life for a patient facing a life-limiting illness. However, there are many misconceptions surrounding hospice care. It’s important to fully understand hospice and all the benefits it provides. Below are just a few of the common myths about hospice.
MYTH #1 Hospice is just for the last few days of life.
FACT: The earlier hospice is elected, the better it serves the patient. Early referral to hospice means that hospice staff can work with the patient to better manage pain, symptoms and understand their goals. In addition, hospice offers an array of services including music therapy, counseling, and pet therapy. The longer hospice staff can work with the patient, the better their hospice experience will be.
MYTH #2 Choosing hospice means giving up hope.
FACT: Electing hospice does not mean that you have given up or are days away from dying; it means that you have made a choice to live. Hospice is about living life with dignity and quality. There are many benefits that hospice has to offer for both the patient and family, and if hospice is elected early, both will be able to take advantage of these benefits. Hospice goes beyond just physical care, it also provides emotional and spiritual support. Getting to know the hospice team and the wide range of services they offer will improve the level of care you receive.
MYTH #3 Hospice hastens death.
FACT: Many people erroneously believe that pain medication, like morphine, will hasten death. This is incorrect, and hospice care does not take steps to accelerate the drying process. In fact, studies have shown that when elected early, hospice patients have a longer life expectancy than patients who are receiving standard care. This is due to the focus on increasing quality of life and minimizing pain.
MYTH #4 Patients need to wait until their physicians bring up hospice to talk about it.
FACT: Having the talk about your end-of-life care wishes needs to be discussed with your physician before a health crisis occurs. It’s never too early to learn about hospice and all the benefits it has to offer. Talking with your physician about what is important to you at end-of-life is an important step to ensuring that your needs are being met.
MYTH #5 Hospice only cares for the patient.
FACT: Hospice doesn’t just care for the patient; it provides support for the family as well. Family members and loved ones can call on grief counselors, chaplains, social workers, music therapists, and volunteers to help them through their hospice journey. In fact, hospice care doesn’t end when the patient passes. For 13 months, hospice counselors work with the family members to help them through their grief process.