EVERY JOURNEY must ultimately come to an end—including the journey of life. As terminally ill people approach life’s final stage and curative measures are no longer viable, hospice care can provide all the support they need to make this transition with comfort, grace, and dignity. Unfortunately, many people who are eligible for—and could benefit greatly from—hospice care choose not to take advantage of it, often due to certain misconceptions they harbor about this form of care.
Here are several commonly held hospice care myths followed by the facts:
Myth: Hospice is where you go only when death is imminent.
Fact: Hospice is for anyone with a terminal illness who is expected to live six months or less, assuming the disease follows its natural course. Hospice services can be continued beyond six months provided a physician recertifies that the individual is terminally ill.
Myth: Hospice care is available only in a hospital or hospice facility.
Fact: Hospice is a philosophy of care, not a place, and can be provided wherever the patient calls home, whether that means the patient’s actual home, a skilled-nursing or assisted-living facility, a hospital, or an inpatient hospice facility.
Myth: Hospice care is extremely costly.
Fact: Hospice care is a fully funded benefit under Medicare/Medicaid and is covered by many private insurers. For military veterans, hospice care is covered through the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Furthermore, some hospice providers will offer care regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.
Myth: Hospice care is just for cancer patients.
Fact: Terminally ill cancer patients can certainly benefit from hospice care, but so can anyone of any age who qualifies with a life-limiting illness, such as heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, ALS, AIDS, diabetes, etc.
Myth: Entering hospice means you’re giving up on life.
Fact: In hospice, the emphasis shifts from curative care to comfort care with a focus on alleviating discomfort and stress; providing emotional, spiritual, and social support; and maximizing quality of life. Hospice is not about giving up and accelerating the dying process; it’s about controlling symptoms and maximizing comfort so patients can make the very most of the time they have left with their loved ones. In fact, studies show that terminally ill people who receive hospice care often live longer and enjoy a better quality of life than similarly ill patients who do not choose hospice.
Myth: Once you enter hospice, you can’t leave.
Fact: Patients can choose to discontinue participating in hospice care at any time, for example if their condition improves or they wish to resume curative care. They also have the option of reapplying for hospice care at a later date as long as they continue to meet eligibility criteria.
Myth: Hospice care ends when the patient passes away.
Fact: Most hospice providers offer bereavement and grief support for families after the death of a loved one. Some may also provide assistance with funeral arrangements and other issues that might arise after the patient passes away.
Myth: A referral to hospice must come from a doctor.
Fact: Anyone can refer a patient to hospice, including family members.
It’s important to recognize that hospice services can be beneficial long before life’s end is imminent, so it’s wise to discuss the hospice option sooner rather than later. As soon as hospice care is initiated, symptoms can be managed, stress and anxiety can be alleviated, patients can shift their focus to the loved ones in their lives, and a care team can be created to support the patient through their end-of-life journey.
When deciding whether hospice might be the right choice for you or someone you love, consider the facts about hospice care. Don’t let myths prevent you from experiencing the comfort, compassion, and dignity you deserve in this profound phase of life.
