Don't Be Afraid of Hospice!

When your parent or loved one has a diagnosis that meets the criteria for hospice care please don't shut down this possibility out of fear or denial.   I know a physician has to actually say that they have six months or less to live to receive this benefit.  (At least in our state)  Don't be afraid of this.  I know it's a hard thing to hear that your parent or loved one has only six months to live...  Keep an open mind.    Please don't deny your parent or loved one this benevolent benefit.  Try to remember that we're all in the waiting room.  Nobody gets to stay here forever... You will find peace in making your parent or loved one's last days as comfortable and easy as possible.

 Hospice provides a wonderful benefit for people in the terminal stages of many diseases and conditions.  They also care for the family and loved ones during the difficult period of end of life.

On the other hand, there are people on hospice who linger a while longer.  In these cases hospice provides a very effective non-invasive comfort care support team without the disruptive and difficult intervention of multiple, scary, hospitalizations.

Hospice provides my mother with a wonderful registered nurse who checks on her multiple times a week.  They provide her with in-room oxygen.  They provide a hospital bed, bedside commode, and bedside table.   They provide her medication in conjunction with her qualifying diagnosis.  Whenever she falls or has breathing issues, the on call RN will come over and check on her.

Hospice is a wonderful thing.  If your family member qualifies, embrace it!