Hospice care can be a very scary thing to hear from your doctor when talking about the decisions to make when your cancer becomes untreatable. It’s scary because it feels unknown and final. It feels like it’s the last resort, that everyone has given up on you and there’s no hope. The truth is that hospice is not final. It’s not a place you go when everyone has given up hope. It’s a place or a plan of care meant to provide as much comfort and pain management as possible and to ease transitions for patients with terminal diagnoses. There are five huge advantages of choosing hospice care when the time comes.

Around the Clock Care

Hospice provides patients with care they need 24/7. Many of the patients that hospice cares for need very aggressive pain management. Hospice nurses are able to provide their patients with quick, on demand pain control. They also give other comfort measures to their patients to ensure that they are in as little pain and discomfort as possible.

Smooth Transitions

Whether the patient is going home or to a long-term care facility, hospice care can ease the transition for both the patient and the family. They can sometimes provide help with transportation, help with preparing medical equipment, and more.

Family Education

Many patients entering hospice care and preparing to transition to the home setting have very complex medical needs. Hospice provides patient families with the education and guidance needed to support their loved one at home. They also provide respite care for when patient families are overwhelmed or are temporarily unable to care for their loved one.

Routine Care Provided in Home

When a patient meets the criteria set by Medicare, hospice facilities are able to provide in-home visits from physicians, nurses, social workers in more. This in-home care allows the patient to stay in their home with their family.

Grief Care

Both patients and family members can benefit from the support of grief counseling during the hospice process. It can be a scary time for anyone and the support provided by hospice can be very helpful for patients to process their feelings.

These five benefits are just a few of the many benefits to entering hospice care. Hospice care is meant to ease the patient’s pain while supporting their family in this process.