Hospice care is something that people tend to forget. Because of that, people develop many misconstructions about it, and that can turn off patients and families from enrolling in hospice care.
As a Los Angeles hospice care facility, we want you to know some things we wish other people knew about what we do and why it’s so important. It will help you understand what hospice care truly entails and how you and your loved ones can benefit from it.
1. Hospice Care Isn’t a Negative Experience
Most people have negative reactions to hospice care. They consider enrolling in it as giving up all hope in life. And while hospice care is usually for those with six months or less to live, we try to look at things positively. Death is a natural occurrence that happens to everyone, and accepting death is the first step to living a happy life for the remainder of your life.
At our hospice in Los Angeles, we focus on giving our patients an awesome quality of life. They spend their days relaxing, receiving visitors, making friends with fellow patients, and doing other hobbies that will make their last few months memorable. We also offer medical services like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, therapeutic sessions like massages, and more to help alleviate pain and manage symptoms.
Hospice care isn’t giving up—it’s making the most out of things!
2. Hospice is Where Your Heart Is
Hospice care doesn’t necessarily have to be in a hospital or a hospice facility. A patient has a choice in where they get hospice care, whether it be at home, at a facility, or with a caregiver!
Hospice services usually visit their patients wherever they choose to be and take the various medications, supplies, and equipment they’ll need with them. Usually, the hospice team also offers phone services where a patient can call the hospice whenever they need assistance.
So, if you’re worried about the time you get to spend with your loved ones, you need not worry. Hospice care can come to you!
3. Hospice is for Both the Patient and Their Family
Hospice services offer loads of support for the patient’s family too.
For one thing, they provide practical support on how to care for a patient. They can show their families how to best care for their loved ones and administer medications. They also give input about tough medical decisions that families would like advice on—doctors are usually too busy to go into detail about things, and hospice care is the next best thing.
Additionally, hospice workers can ease the burden on the caregivers. Caring for a patient is no easy task, and it would be good to catch a break once in a while to rest and recharge. The patient’s family can call the hospice to take over duties for the day or just help around with chores and errands around the house.
Lastly, hospice workers lend a friendly ear and a shoulder to cry on for the family. They’re well-versed in dealing with deep, complex emotions, and every family needs emotional support in a situation like that.
4. You Should Sign Up for Hospice Early
As we mentioned earlier, hospice care has negative connotations because it’s considered giving up. Thus, patients and their families only sign up for hospice a few weeks or even days before death.
According to a study by WebMD, many of them come to regret it.
When you sign up for hospice care, you’re also signing up for physical, mental, and emotional support. You can’t take full advantage of that if you sign up way too late! Thus, you really need to stay on top of things when it comes to your patient’s health.
Ask your doctor about their opinions. Does your loved one still have a shot at getting better? Do they think hospice care is a good idea?
Also, ask your loved ones about what they want to do. Do they want to keep fighting? Or do they just want to go peacefully and enjoy the rest of their days?
5. Hospice Doesn’t End After Death
Hospice care can extend up to a year after a patient’s death. Support from hospice workers can be really helpful. Besides emotional support, they can refer you to therapists to help you overcome your grief. They can also give you community resources and words of comfort that’ll help you feel like you’re not alone in your struggles.
Conclusion
Interested in signing up for hospice care in Los Angeles? Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact our hospice and palliative center to get in touch with our services team—they can let you know more about the hospice process and how you can get started.