Hospice care is end-of-life care provided by health professionals and volunteers who provide medical, psychological, and spiritual support, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), online at www.nlm.nih.gov. The goal of the care is to help people who are terminally ill have peace, comfort, and dignity.

This is achieved by controlling pain and other symptoms so a person can remain as alert and comfortable as possible. In addition to serving the patient, hospice programs also offer support services to the patient’s family through counseling and training to provide care for the individual. The NIH states that a hospice patient is usually expected to live 6 months or less, and the care can be provided in the home, at a hospice center, in a hospital, or in a skilled nursing facility.

While hospice does not postpone death, it centers on the family and the patient, instead of the disease. Care is provided for the patient and family 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most hospice care in the United States is given in the home, with family members serving as the main hands-on caregivers.

There are many things about hospice care that set it apart from other types of health care, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), online at www.cancer.org. These include:

An interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, home health aides, clergy, therapists, and trained volunteers, coming together to help the patient and his or her family.

Control of pain and symptoms so that the patient is comfortable, yet still alert enough to converse with family and friends and make important decisions.

Offering spiritual care including religious ceremonies, helping the patient say goodbye, and counseling about what death means to the patient and his or her family.

Bereavement care, wherein the hospice care team works with loved ones to help them through the grieving process. Respite care in either a hospice facility or in beds set aside for this purpose in nursing homes or hospitals. This type of care helps give family or caregivers a short (up to five days) break.

Regularly scheduled family conferences, led by a hospice nurse or social worker, to keep family members informed about the condition of their loved one.

Resources

To locate hospice facilities in your area, begin by asking your physician or hospital discharge planner for assistance. Hospice care providers are also listed in the Yellow Pages.

According to www.hospicenet.org, information and referral services may also be available through your local branch of the American Cancer Society, an Agency on Aging, United Way chapter, Visiting Nurse Association, or your place of worship.

You may also contact your state’s departments of health or social services to obtain a list of licensed agencies or contact the state hospice organization. The health department oversees certification of hospice services, which makes them eligible for Medicare and, in some states, Medicaid payments.

Source: http://www.hospicenet.org