The vast majority of people who experience hospice care for themselves or a loved one are overwhelmingly satisfied and even amazed with the support provided. Their biggest regret? Not starting hospice care sooner.
It’s easy to understand why patients and their families often hesitate to start hospice care. To many, hospice seems like “giving up” and can trigger inaccurate thoughts that it’s a signal for a quick death.
Truth is, hospice care is generally available for individuals who are diagnosed with a serious illness and choose to shift their focus from intense medical treatments to ensuring each day is as comfortable and meaningful as possible. Hospice is designed to provide months of support – not just the final weeks or days – to bring peace and help patients enrich their quality of life.
“The sooner we start hospice care, the earlier we are able to make the final months of life comfortable and meaningful for our patients and their loved ones,” said Monet Henry, Director of Intake and Admissions, Delaware Hospice.
Here are seven reasons why starting hospice care sooner can be a big advantage:
- Improved quality of life. A top priority of hospice experts is to keep pain, anxiety and other symptoms under control. Patients can be more comfortable and clear-minded on hospice care to still enjoy doing things they love. Plus, more than 93 percent of hospice care is provided wherever the patient calls home, keeping them where they prefer to be.
- Comprehensive, holistic care. Hospice is much more than medical care. A collaborative team of doctors, nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, counselors and chaplains also provides expert emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families.
- Fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations. With regularly scheduled home visits and 24/7 access by phone, Delaware Hospice often can prevent changes in conditions from becoming emergencies. Hospice care drastically reduces visits to the ER and hospitalizations, keeping patients at home.
- Greater support for families. In addition to emotional and spiritual support, Delaware Hospice educates and trains family members to be more capable and confident caregivers for their loved ones. See our library of patient and caregiver resources.
- Access to additional services. Hospice care also includes delivery of necessary medical equipment at home, such as a hospital bed and wheelchair, as well as all prescriptions related to the hospice diagnosis. Delaware Hospice even has special programs like We Honor Veterans, with care tailored to the specific needs of those who served in the military.
- More time for meaningful memories. All of this support adds up to patients and families having more quality time to spend together, building new memories that last.
- Get the full hospice benefit covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans. With such comprehensive care available for six months, why wait until the final weeks or days to reap the advantages?
To learn more about services available from Delaware Hospice, call 800.838.9800 or visit www.delawarehospice.org.
