 | Paula Smith, M.A., is director of community relations for Hospice Care of Kansas. This is her sixth year with the company. Hospice Care of Kansas is committed to providing and promoting the highest quality care to those facing end-of-life issues. Hospice Care of Kansas has had an office in Parsons since 2004, Fort Scott since 2006, and recently opened its newest office in Pittsburg. Call 1-800-HOSPICE for more information, or visit our Facebook page. |
Hospice
2009-08-01 12:16:00
Hospice myths and facts
Question: What do you know about hospice services? The answers might surprise you.
Answer: Answer each statement true or false.
Hospice is a place.
False. Hospice is not a place but a philosophy of care based on maintaining comfort and dignity at the end of life.
Any person diagnosed with a serious illness may receive hospice care.
False. Any person diagnosed with a life-threatening illness who has a life expectancy of six months or less and who has chosen to discontinue curative treatment is eligible for hospice care.
Persons of any age can receive hospice care.
True. Hospice services are available for any age.
Choosing hospice means that patient and family are deciding to give up hope.
False. Choosing hospice means that the patient and family have hopes for a peaceful, comfortable quality of life for whatever time remains.
Hospice care can be provided in a variety of settings.
True. Care is provided wherever a person calls home. That includes a private residence, assisted living or a nursing home or inpatient facility.
Hospice cares for persons with all kinds of illnesses – not just cancer.
True. Hospice cares for patients with heart, lung and neurological diseases, Alzheimer’s and dementia, liver or kidney failure, HIV and cancer as long as the physician certifies that the person is hospice appropriate.
Hospice services are prohibitively costly.
False. Costs are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance companies.
The patient’s own doctor remains the primary care physician.
True. The patient’s physician works in concert with the hospice patient care team-nurse, chaplain, social worker, home health aid, volunteer and hospice medical director.
Pain is to be expected in the later stages of a terminal illness.
False. Physical pain can be controlled with medication choices that do not overly sedate the patient. However, pain also can be emotional and spiritual as well as physical – these needs are also addressed by the hospice care team.
Hospice care is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
True. It is important to look for a hospice which understands the importance of a timely response to patient and family needs and requests, and has staff available evenings and weekends to answer these calls.
