October 13, 2021 by Dean Bellefeuille

caregiver-visiting-with-senior-in-bed

If you knew that a significantly better quality of life could be achieved for a loved one, you wouldn’t think twice about exploring that option. Yet one of the most beneficial types of care – hospice care – is one that family members shy away from, due to a range of common hospice care myths.

Hospice is intended to help someone with a life-limiting illness find respite from pain as well as other difficult symptoms, while receiving comfort, spiritual, and emotional support. Hospice care is provided 24 hours a day, to support both the person in need of care and his/her family members. And, for those covered by Medicare, hospice care is available for a low cost or possibly at no charge. Many additional insurance policies cover hospice care too.

Below are a few of the top myths in addition to the true facts you need to know about hospice care:

  • Hospice is only needed during the very end of life. Many people incorrectly believe that hospice services are for an individual’s last few days, when in reality, the sooner hospice care is started, the better. The criteria for Medicare-covered hospice services is simply for a physician to certify that the individual could pass away within six months. The hospice team and the doctor continue to monitor and modify this prognosis ongoing, either discharging the person from hospice if improvement is noted, or re-certifying if life extends beyond six months.
  • A person can no longer receive medical treatment while on hospice. Although it’s correct that typically aggressive treatments that won’t lead to a cure are discontinued, the purpose of hospice care is always to help an individual with pain and symptom management. Treatments designed to maximize the person’s comfort are a fundamental part of hospice care.
  • Hospice takes place in a facility or at a hospital. Hospice care is offered wherever the person and family members wish. In-home hospice care is readily available for those who choose to remain at home for a lifetime, or in a facility setting if preferred. Regardless of the living arrangement, hospice care is brought to the individual – eliminating the requirement to go out to doctors’ appointments.

Hospice care is a holistic approach to meeting the needs of the individual receiving the care, as well as his/her loved ones. Starting care as soon as possible allows maximum time to receive the resources, comfort, and support needed for the most peaceful transition possible.

If you are searching for a Syracuse in-home care company in the nearby areas to provide the companion care, errand running and light housekeeping services needed during hospice care, At Home Independent Living can help you! For answers to any other questions regarding hospice care, connect with us online or at (315) 579-HOME (4663). We can share some further helpful information about the benefits associated with hospice care, and provide you with a free in-home consultation to speak with you regarding the care options that are available to you.