Hospice Services: Providing Peace of Mind

By Archie Taylor

Death is an inevitable part of life. Even if everyone knows it will happen eventually, no amount of preparation can ease grief when it's time to say goodbye. How will you let your ailing relatives spend their last days? Most people turn to hospice care services. If you are considering admitting a loved one to a good hospice facility, here are some useful information you need to know.

All about Hospice Care

Hospice care is a service handling "end-of-life" cases. Families who want to admit their loved one to a stay-in hospice must have the certification of the doctor that the patient has a few months left to live. There is no set rule, but the standard timeline most facilities acknowledge is six months.
Hospice services may be administered at home, in a nursing home, or other facilities- depending on the preference of the patients or their families. A team consisting of physicians, social workers, nurses, and assistants is responsible for giving the best care to the patient.

Families can now get their much needed break when their loved one is admitted in a hospice facility. Plus, they can have peace of mind because they know skilled professionals will take care of their loved ones. Certified nurses and attendants will take over simple and complex responsibilities of daily care, such as bathing, administering medication, and assisting in pain management. Hospice services are available 24 hours a day and provide immediate response in the event of a patient emergency. The staff in a hospice may set up the medical equipment in the patient's room for those getting in-home services.

One advantage of admitting a relative in a hospice is it makes sure patients live comfortably and with dignity during their final days. Hospices guarantee quality comfort and medical care not only to the patients but to their families as well. They even have programs that have special supportive services for the patients by addressing their physical, spiritual, emotional, and social needs.

Who can get hospice services?

You can find many stay-in hospices for patients whose pain management needs can't be addressed at home. There are also facilities offering this service to those who are adjusting from the hospital to the hospice at home.

Hospice Facilities and Amenities

To provide comfort and guarantee the well-being of the patient, most hospices feature private rooms and amenities such as outdoor terraces and kitchens. These give patients privacy and a relaxed environment. You can find hospices at convenient central locations. This is so their families may easily visit them anytime.

Part of hospice care includes a counseling team that will support family and friends during emotional and spiritual crisis. The team provides individual counseling and assists caregivers and patients on stress management. They help patients and families deal with their grief and prepare them for the passing of their loved one. Here are some other hospice services the counseling team provides:

- Have meaningful discussions that resolve issues between patients and their families
- Serve as an outlet for family member to express grief and share bereavement issues
- Educate friends and family members about end-of-life issues
- Provide special counseling for the patients' children
- Check up on the family one year after the patient's death and provide counseling if needed

Archie Taylor works for a hospice care facility and familiar with different hospice services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Archie_Taylor
 
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For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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Why You Should Choose Hospice Care

By May G Graham

Having a terminal illness is one of the most difficult things you will experience. Learning you only have a few months to live brings fear and frustration, but it is also the perfect opportunity to prepare for what is coming. Discuss whether you want to participate in a hospice care program and find a provider who will provide the physical and emotional support you and your family need during this difficult time.

Understanding Hospice

Hospice is not a place - it is a philosophy. It is the type of care you choose when you are terminally ill. It focuses on managing your pain and other symptoms instead of attempting to cure your condition. Hospice services will also give you and your family the emotional, social, and spiritual support you need, guiding you through the process of dying and offering bereavement support once you have passed.

Choosing this type of care does not mean you are giving up on your life. Stopping aggressive treatment is every patient's choice, and you may want to enter a hospice program if you feel aggressive treatment no longer helps and is only robbing you of spending quality time with your family. Most caregivers provide care at home, but if you have symptoms that require special equipment, think about moving into a hospice inn or a sanatorium.

When should you discuss hospice care?

Some people choose this type of care during the last few days of their lives. Think about entering this kind of program earlier, as soon as when the doctor tells you how much time you have left. This lets you prepare a care plan you and your family will feel comfortable with. It also lets you benefit from receiving support and education from hospice program experts.

Having consistently declining health, increased pain and other symptoms, repeated hospitalization, and decreasing alertness and mobility are some signs you need to enter a hospice program. This allows you to spend more time with your loved ones while receiving pain management.

Who pays for hospice programs?

Your doctor needs to assess your condition before you can enter this program. Medical experts need to establish you have a terminal illness, you only have at most six months to live, and your health is consistently declining to qualify you for Medicaid coverage. Your private insurance also covers this service.

Check with your provider and find out what items they will pay for. Medicare will cover medical equipment, care and support both for you and your loved ones, and medication.

Some providers of hospice services may charge based on your ability to pay. They will use these contributions to offset the expenses of other patients that pay little or nothing at all. You can also choose to pay privately even with Medicaid and private insurance coverage.

Do not wait until your final days until you enter a hospice program. Choosing this type of care puts you in control of how you spend your final days and whom you spend it with. Find a hospice service provider and create a care plan that benefits you and your family.

May Graham is a hospice care provider who discusses hospice services with families of terminally ill patients.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=May_G_Graham
 
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For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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Living Will Samples

By Candis Reade

It is a wise forethought to plan for incapacitation. A legal will dictates what happens to you and your belongings after death. But, what makes medical decisions for you when you are incapacitated, but still alive? That document is called a living will (AKA: physicians directive, health care declaration, or health care directive.)

If you have ever seen living will samples, then you might know that it addresses specific medical care directives during incapacitation. Of course, it must be made with a sound mind. Every adult would be prudent to express their wishes through a living will. The unexpected is only a second away. The national coverage of vegetative patient, Terri Schiavo, is the quintessential example of why living wills are not just for the elderly. Living wills assure that your medical care demands are followed word for word. It also unburdens loved ones from making life and death decisions for you.

Living wills can be as general or detailed as you wish them to be. For example, you can make a general statement like: No measures taken to prolong life in case of irreversible or incurable diseases. On the other hand, you can make a specific statement. An example would be: I do not want to be given any antibiotics, palliative medications, analgesics, CPR, or gastrointestinal feeding tubes in case of irreversible or incurable disease. You can even go as far to say whether you wish to have hydration and food given. However, you can also make a living will state what you do specifically want.

The Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act established the right for a person to have a living will. However, this law varies state by state and some states do not refer to it as a living will, but rather one of the names listed above. Some states have specific forms and validation rules to make the living will valid. You must check the particular state where you live to get exact details. You may find it helpful to hire a lawyer to show you living will samples and assist you in drafting your own. Usually, the legal fee is $200.00-$600.00, but well worth it to ensure you are in accordance with state laws. Local hospice agencies can also show you living will samples and help you find the right form for your state.

Common issues that are addressed in a living will are:

* CPR
* Ventilation
* Nutrition/Hydration
* Dialysis
* Surgery
* Organ donation
* Palliative treatment and medications
* Analgesics
* Wound care
* Amputation
* Disease specific medications
* Blood transfusions
* Invasive testing

Dont just store your living will away. This may seem like a safe idea, but it is useless if not readily available. It is advised to give a copy to your physician, lawyer, and power of attorney. Consider a power of attorney too, because not every scenario can not be documented in a living will. It is wise to look over your living will every five years or with any health change and make any desired changes inside.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Living Will Samples [http://mylivingwills.info/living-will-samples], please visit My Living Wills [http://mylivingwills.info] for current articles and discussions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candis_Reade
 
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For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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Hospice Services: Providing Comfort During Trying Times

By Gwendlyn Price

What are hospice services?

Hospice is the concept of catering to the needs of those whose life expectancy has been predicted to be 6 months or less. It is a concept that dates back to the time of the Crusades in the 14th century. Religious orders during that time, however, prevented its growth. Modern hospices came to be during the 1960s, starting in Great Britain. From there, the practice grew and spread to the United States, and parts of Europe and Asia.

Once all efforts to cure the patient of his/her disease have been exhausted, hospice care is recommended. The practice is palliative in nature. Palliative is the field of healthcare that focuses not on curing, but in preventing and reducing the suffering of a patient. This type of care allows the patient to live his or her last days with dignity.

Why and when should we consider hospice?

The idea of being diagnosed with an incurable disease is a tough pill to swallow. For the patient, it's an overwhelming experience that is difficult to deal with. There is so much uncertainty that comes with knowing you only have a limited amount of time left. While some are intent on treatment in the hopes of curing their disease, most cases don't end so well. In some cases, continued curative treatment only makes the body weaker.

Hospice services should be considered once a doctor diagnoses inevitability. This means that the doctor has predicted a certain timeframe left for the patient. Hearing news like this will, without a doubt, stir up emotions of fear and sometimes even anger. Once you start entertaining the idea of hospice care, remember that it is not proof of hopelessness. Believe that by making the decision, patients aren't giving up. Rather, they are taking control by deciding what to do with the remainder of their lives.

Where is hospice care provided?

In most cases, patients choose in home hospice care. Most services provide this option with the understanding that patients would rather be in the privacy of their own homes. If in home hospice care proves to be too strenuous, options such as inns and other facilities may be available as well.

What can I expect from this service?

First of all, you can expect counseling and guidance through you and your loved ones' trying times. Professionals will help the patient and his/her family members understand and cope with the issues at hand. No one knows the pain endured by someone who knows his or her end is coming. Patients often find themselves dealing with so many previously unrealized frustrations, and that's something that the treatment method caters to.

Apart from helping relieve all mental and emotional anguish, the practice also highlights the spiritual needs of a person. Patients can expect that through this palliative treatment method, whatever spiritual concerns they have will be attended to. Dealing with grief and bereavement also come later.

While hospice services might sound like a good option from the get go, remember to discuss the topic with care. Make sure that the patient is emotionally prepared to avoid misunderstandings during an already difficult time.

Gwen Price is a nurse who has worked with several in home hospice care. For additional information on how this can help your terminally-ill loved one, please read up about hospice services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gwendlyn_Price

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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How to Give Terminal Care to a Dying Parent

By Kum Martin

Usually, as children we reconcile to the fact that sooner or later we will have to care for our parents because of deteriorating health and age. However, when your parent is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it can be devastating for you. Giving terminal care to a dying parent is not easy. Usually, this type of care is given when the life expectancy is less than 6 months.

Talk to your parent about terminal care and other treatment options. Find out what your parent wants. At times, your parent may not be ready to give up treatment options to prolong life. Hence, their wishes should be fulfilled. However, warn your parent about the possible side effects after discussing the same with the doctor. If your parent does not want to suffer from the side effects, then terminal care would be the only option available. This concentrates on making the person feel more comfortable during the last stages of the disease.

Speak to your parent about making end of life care decisions. If your parent is lucid and able to make decisions, then find out whether they want to spend the last days of their life at home or in a hospital. This is important from your parent's point of view, as it will reduce emotional stress and also let them choose where they die. Generally, people with terminal disease want to spend their last days surrounded by their loved ones and in familiar surroundings.

Make sure that your parent gets palliative care during the last stages of their disease. This will keep your parent comfortable and reduce symptoms associated with the disease. The doctors may medicate your loved one for pain and other uncomfortable symptoms that they may experience, such as nausea, shortness of breath or constipation. It will also provide you with some relief, as palliative care tries to ease the burden of the primary caregiver. It gives emotional, spiritual and physical support to both the patient and family members. Speak to your parent about hospice care, as it will allow your parent to die with dignity and grace.

When your parent is lucid, find out about what plans they have in place for their funeral. It sounds morbid to be discussing such a topic even before the person passes away, but it will allow you to fulfill your parent's last wishes. This may not be necessary if your parent has made a living will.

An important part of terminal care is providing emotional support to the dying person. This is extremely challenging, as everyone involved will be emotionally fraught. Hence, you would have to get your emotions under control and be there for your parent. Speak to your loved one and find out what they want. At times, they would just want you to listen. Address any spiritual need by calling on a religious leader. If they want to reminisce about the good old days, make sure you listen actively and also speak about those days. Try to spend as much time as possible with your parent, while ensuring that they are comfortable and pain-free.

Kum Martin is an online leading expert in elderly care. He also offers top quality articles like: Terminal Illness

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kum_Martin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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