Why Hospice Care Can Make the Toughest Times Easier
End-of-life is an immensely challenging time, both for patients and their loved ones. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to ease the burden and create a space for families to come together and greet the end of life with a sense of comfort and dignity. Hospice care can make all this possible. The benefits of hospice are many and have been a blessing to countless families.
Comforting Environment
Many families find themselves choosing between hospice care and hospital care. While a hospital has the equipment and the staff necessary to care for patients at the end of life, it’s far from a comforting environment. Hospitals are places of activity, where hustle and bustle are the order of the day. We tend to associate hospitals with the notion that something is wrong. Taken together, these aspects can make hospitals off-putting, especially when trying to relax or visit with family. However, in hospice, calm and quiet are paramount. With the medical capabilities of a hospital and the comfort of home, a hospice is a place where peace and peace of mind reign.
End of Life on Your Terms
The noisy atmosphere of a hospital often extends into a patient’s room. There are machines to be hooked up to, tests to be administered, and a push for life-extending treatments. In addition, the bureaucracy and red tape of a hospital, while necessary to ensure safety and quality care, can make it difficult for patients and families to be heard during this difficult time. In hospice, the emphasis is on comfort. Everything is tailored to patients and their families; their wishes are central.
Plan of Action
Patients and their families can feel lost when faced with the prospect of end of life. Decisions about pain management, medical treatment, and other concerns can be overwhelming. After all, not only is this experience fraught with emotion, it’s also unfamiliar to most folks. Hospice workers bring a wealth of experience. The medical professionals that make up the hospice care team help to craft a clear plan of action and help guide families through this period.
Peace of Mind
When a loved one is facing the end of life, it can be difficult to leave them, especially if health concerns put them at risk of injury or illness. Not only are hospice care workers knowledgeable in how to care for patients, they are also on-hand 24/7. Patients and their families can rest assured knowing concerns will be handled any time, day or night.
Family-Wide Support
Hospice care is holistic. Care providers are focused on helping patients and their families through this difficult time. Social workers, chaplains, and others are on hand to offer bereavement and grief counseling to families. Hospice care workers can also assist in the logistics of end of life arrangements, which can often be overwhelming.
Financial Benefits
Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance all help to cover the cost of hospice care. Often times, these costs are substantially less than other forms of end of life care.
Trust Us to Care for Your Loved Ones
Here in Princeton, WV, Princeton Health Care Center has been honored to provide hospice care for generations. If you’re looking for more information on hospice care, you can give us a call at 304-487-3458.