Hospice care can be facilitated at a medical facility or in the home. Therefore, some seniors who are terminally ill opt to have hospice care in the comfort of familiar surroundings. When curative measures have been exhausted, then palliative measures are instituted for hospice care patients.
Participating in a Hospice Care Program
Curative measures are designed to lead to the cure of an illness or condition. On the other hand, palliative measures are sought when curative measures no longer can be employed. Therefore, palliative care is offered to a terminal patient to make him or her feel more comfortable. If you have a loved one who is receiving senior home care services and is terminally ill, then he or she may participate in a hospice program. To participate in this type of program, a patient must affirm and understand that he or she has a terminal sickness.
Some of the Contingencies of Care
He or she must also wish to switch from a curative treatment plan to palliative care. Palliative care is also referred to as comfort care. Hospice care is advised when two doctors concur that a patient is in the final stage of his or her life. Patients who have approximately six months to live and who have either a cancerous or non-cancerous illness may receive palliative and hospice senior home care services. Hospice patients must also agree to have someone else make decisions for their care if they can no longer make them.
Hospice Care Does Not Feature a Set Timeframe
A six-month life expectancy meets the standards of the federal government with respect to health care reimbursement. However, patients may live longer than this time as making a prediction about life expectancy can sometimes be difficult to measure.
When hospice care is part of senior home care services, a family member usually serves in the capacity of primary caregiver. Hospice staff members also make routine calls. The hospice staff is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to help the patient and the at-home caregiver.
If you would like to know more about hospice services, you can find out additional information by visiting the Sacred Journey Hospice website online. You can also connect them on Facebook for more updates.
