To many people, getting hospice care for a loved one means surrendering. If it were a battle, it is tantamount to raising that white flag, completely giving up the fight. But this should not be the case. Hospice is not as bleak and negative as many people think it to be. There is hope in the final days.

Many are hesitant about hospice. It is a natural reaction. Families would love to continue caring for their loved one.

However, letting professional caregivers take care of your loved one does not mean that you are letting go of your loved one. As in in home senior care, we are here to help, to assist, and to provide the necessary support. We treat our clients like family, but we don’t replace their families.

Misconceptions About Hospice

The misconceptions about hospice are what give it a bad name. Knowing these misconceptions will help you understand that hospice is not at all hopeless:

• Hospice is only provided in a facility. This is plainly wrong, you can receive care even at home.
• Hospice is equivalent to giving up. No, professional caregivers give hope and positivity to clients during their final days.
• The patient will no longer be treated. Care is still provided, but palliative. This means managing the symptoms of the illness or disease to make living as comfortable as possible.
• Hospice is for those who are hopeless. This is not what hospice is about. It provides hope by helping patients get into terms with their final days in a positive, comfortable manner.

Things to Understand About Hospice

Hospice does not deserve the bad reputation it gets. On the contrary, it is aimed at providing hope, comfort and relief. It gives both the patients and their loved ones a sense of peace, relief. It allows patients to enjoy their remaining days as comfortably and pain-free as possible.

1. It provides a more holistic approach to care. Hospice does not only focus on symptom management and pain management. As a person nears their death, it is important that they get the emotional and spiritual support they need. Counseling and even spiritual guidance, when needed, are part of hospice care. Hence, in some cases, the care team can include a spiritual adviser and a social worker, on top of the home health aides, caregivers, nurses and doctors. 
2. Hospice can be provided anywhere. It is provided in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and similar facilities. However, similar to in home senior care, it can be provided to your home too or the home of your loved one, if you wish to. Wherever it is, as long as it is for the benefit and comfort of the patient, that is where we will provide our care. 
3. You can start hospice sooner. While it is commonly provided for terminally ill patients, those with only six months or less to live, hospice is also available for those who want to get it sooner. Starting early may extend the patient’s life a little longer since they are able to get all the care and support they need. 
4. Medicare covers hospice even if it goes beyond 60 days, as long as your physician determines that you only have a short time to live and you are already eligible for hospice. On the other hand, you can also choose to stop hospice should your condition improve or should you choose to.

The Best Option

For patients who have a life-limiting condition and who only have a short time to live, there is no other best option than hospice. Spending your final days does not have to be dark and dreary. With proper care, emotional and spiritual support, you get to live your final days as comfortably and worry-free as possible.