Hospice 101
Although hospice services have been available in this country since 1974, hospice is often still misunderstood. “Any illness, but particularly a life-threatening one, brings with it physical, psychological, spiritual and practical burdens for both the patient and their family,” said Susan Mast, executive director of Faith Hospice. “Hospice focuses on relieving suffering and providing support for the best possible quality of life for the individual and their family. At Faith Hospice, our mission is caring for the mind, body and spirit, and that is exactly what we do.”
What Is Hospice?
The goal of hospice is to provide quality, compassionate care for individuals facing a life-limiting illness or injury. That care encompasses the physical needs of the patient as well as their emotional and spiritual needs. Hospice also provides practical support for the patient’s family and help in dealing with the emotional aspects of losing a loved one to an illness or injury.
From a medical standpoint, hospice provides palliative care—care that is meant to relieve or soothe the symptoms of a disease or disorder but without curing it. Hospice care becomes appropriate when the patient is no longer receiving curative treatment but is suffering or needs relief of troublesome symptoms.
But hospice deals with more than just the physical. “Hospice also assists with the emotional and spiritual aspects of dying,” said Mast. Through an interdisciplinary team, hospice is able to provide support for the patient’s entire family—from respite care for caregivers to bereavement care and counseling for surviving family and friends. “Hospice care doesn’t end with the death of the patient,” said Mast, “but continues for an additional 12 months with grief counseling and support for those left behind.”
The hospice team consists of members from a number of disciplines including the hospice medical director and the patient’s personal physician. The physicians direct the patient’s medical and physical care and are responsible for choosing palliative treatments to relieve symptoms or suffering. They are aided by RN case managers, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers.
The patient’s emotional and spiritual needs are met by chaplains and social workers. ”Faith Hospice takes an ecumenical approach,” said Mast. “Meaning that we recognize all beliefs and work with the patient to realize their spiritual needs, whatever those may be. We also encourage their own clergy to become involved.”
Family needs are met through respite care which allows caregivers time for themselves; social workers who are able to provide emotional support and assistance with financial considerations and bereavement counselors who help family members work through the grief process.
The hospice team also includes dedicated volunteers who are trained to provide assistance in various ways from housekeeping, meal preparation, errand running, personal care like hairdressing, companionship, etc.
“Care is available when you need it,” said Mast. “Hospice is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. We’ll be there when you need us.”
When Is It Time for Hospice?
“The one thing we hear most often,” said Mast, “is I wish I had called hospice sooner. There is a misperception that hospice is somehow a death sentence. That is definitely not the case. You are welcome to change your mind at any time and return to active, curative treatment. But the earlier you elect hospice care, the more we can do to improve your quality of life.”
Hospice is generally appropriate when a life expectancy of six months or less is expected if the disease runs its normal course. At that stage, the patient usually desires comfort care and may require assistance with activities of daily living. Their family and their caregivers may be feeling the strain of caring for them and may need assistance and support with end-of-life issues. Patients may be experiencing a decrease in appetite, a decline in their level of functioning, increased visits to the emergency room, hospital or doctor’s office and a general progression of their disease.
Where Is Hospice Provided?
“I always like to say that hospice care can be provided wherever you put your head down to sleep at night,” said Mast. Hospice services are provided in the community in the patient’s own home, in assisted living or skilled nursing facilities, hospitals or adult foster care settings. When it isn’t possible for a patient to remain in their own particular home setting, hospice care can be provided in a special hospice residence.
“At Faith Hospice we provide care in the community but also at our hospice residence, Trillium Woods, in Byron Center,” said Mast. Like most hospice residences, Trillium Woods is focused on being as home-like as possible with spacious private rooms designed to provide plenty of space for visiting family. Large lounges and a library offer extra areas for visitors to congregate. “We even have a beautiful chapel where patients can pray or meditate,” said Mast. Trillium Woods is also a potential choice for hospice patients who need short-term management of specific symptoms before returning to their own homes.
Medicare provides a hospice benefit and most insurance plans today also have a hospice medical benefit. Services of the hospice team are covered along with appropriate medical supplies and equipment, medications and grief counseling.
As Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the hospice movement, explained hospice—”You matter because you are. You matter to the last moment of your life. And we will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also live until you die.”
August 11th, 2009 | Posted in Community, General, Trillium Woods | Share this on Facebook or Twitter