Hospice
When health conditions need special attention, a hospice may be the type of caring that can provide the compassion to ease pain of a terminal diagnosis or circumstance as well as imminent death. The ultimate goal of a hospice is to provide "death with dignity" while reducing the stress that surrounds the circumstances resulting from life limiting conditions.
Among the measurable occurrences that may prompt a family to use a hospice, which may include benefits paid by the healthcare insurer, are:
- Increased or uncontrolled pain despite treatment
- Progressive decline in health conditions, despite curative measures
- Changes in mental status
- Shortness of breath with minimal activity with or without oxygen dependency
- Increase in profound weakness and fatigue
- Repeat or multiple infections resulting in debility
- Repeat or frequent hospitalizations related to chronic or non-curable illness.
- Unexplained weight loss over a period of several months
- Life limiting condition
A referral to a hospice must be acknowledged by a primary care physician or the hospice medical director by signing a certification of terminal illness to confirm their opinion of a life limiting illness. Insurers will usually require the negative progression is both monitored and documented. While a hospice can help control the surrounding circumstances, it cannot alter the ultimate outcome of the situation. A hospice is one of the most comprehensive services available to patients and families facing the numerous issues which precede the end of life.
Hospice services can include:
- Social work services provided by licensed social workers for guidance in social issues.
- Pastoral care services provided by non-denominational chaplains as requested by the patient and family
- Visits from a registered nurse complemented by visits from a licensed practical nurse
- Medications for comfort as determined by hospice diagnosis
- Certified hospice aides to assist the family with personal care needs
- Medical equipment to ease the efforts of the caregiver
- Bereavement services for both anticipatory grief as well as post-death grief.
