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Hospice programs provide supportive care for the patient and
the family in the final stages of disease, that is, the last days,
weeks, or months of life. Hospice care can be provided in the home, in
hospitals that have hospice units, or in free-standing hospice
programs. Hospice care seeks to make the patient as comfortable as
possible, to relieve symptoms, and help the patient and family have the
best possible quality of life.
Some people prefer to die at home, and others feel better in a
hospital setting. There are no right or wrong choices, only the
personal choices that are best for you and your family. A hospice works
with the family to provide care and to meet the physical, functional,
emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient. Accepting death is
central to the hospice approach, although the focus is on caring for
and supporting the patient so he may live as fully as possible until
death.
Whatever the setting, hospice care is offered widely. It is
covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance plans.
What the patient can do
- Ask if your insurance plan covers hospice care.
- Talk through your feelings and your family's feelings about
dying at home.
- Ask to speak to someone from some local hospice programs
and have them discuss the type of care they can offer.
What caregivers can do
- If at-home hospice care is planned, find out how the
program would care for the patient and what would be expected of you
and your family. Talk honestly with the hospice staff about any
concerns you have.
- Remember that illnesses that are not related to cancer can
still be treated if it will make the patient more comfortable.
- After being enrolled in a hospice program, keep the phone
numbers for the nurse, social worker, chaplain, and others handy. Tell
the nurse about any changes in the patient's physical condition, any
unrelieved pain, or any problems the patient has.
For more in-depth information on hospice care, contact the
American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345, or visit cancer.org. You may
also call the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's
Hospice Helpline at 1-800-658-8898, or visit their Web site at www.nhpco.org.
Go back to Caring for the
Patient with Cancer at Home: A Guide for Patients and Families.
Last Medical Review: 04/27/2009
Last Revised: 04/27/2009
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