The Uplifting Truth about End-of-Life Care When a loved one is critically ill, hearing that it’s time for hospice care can be devastating news. On top of the emotional upheaval of coping with a terminal illness, you may be unsure what hospice care really is - and believe it’s just an indication your loved one will likely pass away. Yet the time your loved one spends in hospice care doesn’t have to be sad - for anyone. In fact, says Toni Norman, the senior director of hospice operations for Brookdale Senior Living, hospice can be a deeply rewarding time of great comfort for patients and their families. “Hospice care is not about waiting for someone to die, and that’s unfortunately a very common misconception,” Norman says. “The goal of hospice is to provide to a patient, who has a life-limiting illness, the physical comfort and medical care they need to stay in their home for as long as possible, while at the same time supporting their caregivers. The hospice team helps families by educating, supporting and identifying any needs they have, ranging from chaplain support to finding mortuaries and veteran benefits.” The decision to begin hospice care is a communal one, with the patient, caregivers, loved ones and
medical professionals contributing to the dialogue. “A terminal diagnosis from a doctor usually begins the process of seeking hospice care,” Norman says. “Also, as a family member’s health begins to decline due to illness, conversations about end-of-life care are proactive and compassionate.” Brookdale Senior Living’s hospice care providers often encounter common misconceptions about hospice care. Norman offers the truth behind some mistaken beliefs: * Hospice is for the last few weeks of life. The hospice Medicare benefit is for the last six months, if the disease follows its normal course. “Most people who enter hospice have done so because they’ve received a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness,” Norman says. “But people who enter hospice often live longer, and with a better quality of life, than terminally ill people who do not go into hospice. Many are even able to come off hospice service if their condition improves.” * Hospice means giving up. Hospice is actually a commitment to a high level of care for a loved one. “It means making them as comfortable and safe as possible so they may enjoy time with their loved ones for as long as possible,” Norman says. * Patients are heavily medicated. Patients receive GetRuralLeaderMag.com | OCTOBER 2016 17
