When individuals think about hospice, they may think of it as “giving up.” However, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, hospice is a critical factor in celebrating the gift of life and bringing loved ones together to enjoy the remainder of a loved one’s life. Additionally, there are several benefits of hospice that can increase the comfort a loved one feels during their end-of-life journey. Below are just a few of the many available benefits from receiving the gift of hospice.
Hospice patients have a personal care plan.
When individuals enter hospice, many different medical professionals will come together and develop a personalized plan that offers the most comfort to the patient as possible and helps increase their quality of life. These plans are based upon the patient’s wishes and will also offer guidance on any decisions that occur along the way. Registered nurses, physicians, caregivers, spiritual leaders, and volunteers will assist you every step of the way with everything that comes with hospice. These benefits can reach well beyond the physical needs of a patient and extend into their spiritual and psychosocial needs, even taking care of needs for the family.
Hospice patients have the freedom to choose.
One misconception about hospice is that the patient no longer has requests available to them. In reality, the hospice patient is still the ultimate decision maker on any matters. Using a hospice service allows the patient and family members to have their voices heard and stay in command of treatments and care options.
Hospice patients have fewer hospital visits.
Many studies have shown that hospice is proven to reduce the number of hospitalizations when a patient enters hospice care. According to a report published in Jama Internal Medicine, hospice patients have lower healthcare expenditures in their last year of life compared to non-hospice patients. Similarly, hospice patients are five times more likely to pass away in the comfort of their home compared to their non-hospice counterparts. A key component of hospice care is enrolling at the right time to maximize the quality of end-of-life care. Intervention through a hospice program can lead to less hospitalizations, ICU admissions, invasive procedures, and lower expenditures in the last year of life.
Hospice patients have a hospice team available 24/7.
While a patient is on hospice, they will have access to an on-call nurse 24/7 and a nurse can visit any time, day or night. Having this resource available can relieve an incredible amount of stress on the patient and on the family by knowing there is always someone available to take care of any problems that may arise. If you find thinking often about a loved one on hospice, https://aspireutah.com/tips-for-assisting-someone-on-hospice/ can offer several tips for assisting this individual.
Hospice patients can live their final days with dignity.
Rather than being hooked to invasive machines during their final days, hospice patients are able to pass away with dignity. Because the hospice patient is ultimately in charge, they are able to choose how they spend their final days. Being in the comfort of their home and surrounded by loved ones is much more pleasant than spending the last days in a busy hospital.
Hospice patients receive care at home.
All of the medical benefits of hospice can be received at the comfort of home. In fact, this familiar environment can lead to an added feeling of security, and loved ones will feel more comfortable visiting often than if hospice occurred in a hospital. Especially during times with the covid-19 pandemic, having this opportunity to receive care at home is more enticing than ever.
Hospice patients have access to several services.
Within the hospice plan, several services are offered that can substantially increase the quality of end-of-life care. Some of these services include:
- Physician services – Regular physician visits to oversee your care and ensure quality.
- Nursing services – Frequent visitation from both a registered nurse and nursing aids to provide a plethora of services.
- Music therapy – Healing, therapeutic services through our highly trained music therapists.
- Massage therapy – Treatment on muscles and soft tissues to ease discomfort from any pains.
- Grief counseling – Counseling to assist in the emotional, social, and physical response to end of life care.
With these benefits in mind, Aspire Home Health & Hospice hopes to give you an added sense of ability to assist the wants and needs your loved one may face during their end-of-life care. If you wish to learn more about our hospice service, Aspire Hospice provides more information about our treatment and the process to admit a loved one to our services. At Aspire Home Health and Hospice, you can rest assured that the needs you or a loved one have will be fulfilled to an exceptional standard, with an unwavering commitment towards mastering the benefits of these services.
Patient Care Advocates are standing by to hear your circumstances and will guide you towards the proper care of treatment. They can be reached by calling 801-396-5735.
