One of the primary goals of medical care is to improve your health or cure an illness. Through the services that hospitals provide, we can recover and continue to live our lives.
However, some people are not as fortunate, especially those diagnosed with terminal, incurable diseases. For these individuals, nothing can be done to rid them of their illness or to prevent them from passing away soon. Thus, for them, continuing to go through medical procedures (some of which are painful) is no longer worth it, and they would rather focus on living out the rest of their lives with dignity.
This is what hospice care aims to provide. In contrast to medical care, whose goal is to cure a specific disease, hospice care seeks to improve the patient’s quality of life through various means such as pain relief and emotional support. For this reason, it is commonly referred to as end-of-life care.
Hospice care is available in Indiana and throughout the United States. Here's what it can do for patients and their loved ones:
Hospice care removes the stress and pain.
Undergoing intensive medical care can be quite stressful and painful because it takes place in the cold environment of a hospital. Given that a hospital setting might be the exact opposite of a peaceful environment, it might not be an excellent place to avail of care focused on comfort and well-being.
Hospice care can take place in a person’s home, thus placing the individual in an environment that he or she is happy with. Furthermore, hospice care requires a team of medical professionals, who collaborate with the patient’s family and loved ones to provide the support that the patient needs.
Hospice care gives patients a sense of dignity.
One of the best things about hospice care is that the patient’s wishes can be respected. This allows the individual to spend quality time with his or her loved ones in the absence of the hospital setting, which aids in reducing the stress and anxiety that comes with living with an incurable disease.
Furthermore, this means that the patient need not be subjected to any invasive medical procedures in an attempt to prolong life. Instead, the focus can be on living out the remainder of his or her life with dignity and on the things that matter the most.
Hospice care helps reduce financial burdens.
Specialized medical procedures can be quite expensive and not necessarily covered by insurance. This can place quite a financial burden on families, especially those who are not well off.
In contrast, hospice care is usually covered by different kinds of health insurance. This helps significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs, making things much easier for the patient’s immediate family as well.
In the end, some people judge those who choose hospice care. However, going through hospice care is not tantamount to giving up. You should remember that opting for hospice care is a choice that illustrates the importance of a pain-free life. If you feel unsure, feel free to consult an expert.
