There is a discrepancy these days between the perception of hospice care and the reality of when it’s appropriate and what it provides. The perception is that a hospice team arrives in the final hours of life when a patient is on their deathbed. The reality, however, is that too many patients and families miss out on the weekly and sometimes daily care and support they could receive from hospice. Let’s take a look at an example of what hospice care really looks like.
Meet James. James is a 67-year-old Vietnam Vet with end-stage liver disease. He has a sister who lives out of town and they aren’t very close. James had a series of short-term jobs over the years and has no retirement savings. He is enrolled in the VA healthcare system and lives alone in a motel. He was diagnosed about three years ago with cirrhosis of the liver.
In the past eight months he has been in and out of the hospital with a variety of illnesses including jaundice, bacterial peritonitis, and swelling in his abdomen which had to be drained with a needle. He is too tired to hold down a job and spends a lot of time sleeping. He has lost his appetite too.
James was not living the life that he wanted, he was living the life that his disease dictated. Then his doctor at the VA evaluated James and concluded that he would benefit from the comfort care of hospice. That is when James took back control of his life, and he began to dictate how he would live.
James was admitted to the care of our hospice team and we were able to:
- Get him on a medication regimen that helped him manage his pain and other symptoms
- Help him apply for Medicaid and found a bed for him in a skilled care home
- Provide spiritual counseling that helped him work through his struggles as a combat Veteran
- Contact his sister who was able to visit James with her two sons, reminisce about their parents and childhood, and make amends
- Conduct a Veteran pinning ceremony while his family was there to honor his service to our country
- Provide a volunteer who would listen to his favorite music with him
- Assist with grooming and bathing so that he could be comfortable
- Offer bereavement counseling to his sister and her family
This care was provided to James and his family at no cost. He was able to avoid being hospitalized again, and he was able to spend his last days in a clean and comfortable environment as he connected with loved ones. He spent his last days with dignity and honor that he had once thought was lost forever.
Hospice care is an important aspect of the lifelong healthcare process. Understand the facts and get the care you and your loved ones deserve. If you know someone like James who could use our help, please contact us today.