Debunking the Hospice Myth

Gladys receives services from Hospice Advantage twice a week.  When I mention this to friends or in casual conversation with acquaintances, they get sad looks on their faces, assuming Gladys is on her death bed.

I used to think that hospice was a place where people went to die.  I met a hospice representative, Cara,  at a health fair and we struck up a conversation.  She explained that they also provide services for dementia patients and told me to call them when I thought I might need their services.  She would send someone out to evaluate Gladys to see if she qualified for hospice care.

A month or so after that conversation, we were notified by Gladys’ day care that they could no longer accommodate her because she was beginning to require too much individual attention and care.  I called Cara, she sent someone to evaluate Gladys and we began using their services.

Unless you live with and take care of someone with limited physical capabilities, it may be difficult to understand how much it means for someone else to bathe, groom and dress your family member, even for just a few days a week.  The nurse coming by on a regular basis also cuts down on doctor visits, not to mention the “event” of getting Gladys out of the house and into a car.

The following quote is from the Hospice Advantage August 2010 Newsletter

Myth:  Hospice is a place

Reality:  Hospice is a service

Another myth about hospice is that hospice is a place.  The reality is that hospice is actually a service and can be provided in several different places.  Hospice services can be provided in a nursing facility, an assisted living facility, a hospital, an inpatient hospice unit, or a patient’s home.  In fact over 68% of hospice care is delivered to patients in their own home, where they want to be.  Services are provided by an interdisciplinary team consisting of nurses, nurse aids, doctors, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers.  There are also many different hospice companies that, for the most part, offer the same kind of services.

Twice a week a nurse comes by to check:

• her vital signs
• her weight
• that she is still eating
• pain/comfort level
• general mental and physical deterioration

Twice a week a home health aid comes by to:

• bathe and dress Gladys
• comb her hair
• change her bed
• bring supplies

The home health aid also:

• gave me instruction on helping Gladys stand, sit and walk
• showed me how to change her while she is in the bed

They also provide:

• adult diapers
• disposable bed pads
• wipes
• dry skin cream
• perineal wash

Equipment provided so far:

• hospital bed and table
• hoya lift
• oxygen

These services are not free but they are covered by medicare.  We have the option of using the home health aid three days a week but we don’t.  Other services available include a social worker, respite care, volunteer sitters (available for a few hours) and a chaplain. We don’t use the chaplain service – I work in ministry so this isn’t a service I require.  We also haven’t used the volunteer sitters yet.

If you are the primary caregiver for someone who lives with you, these services will give you a little relief both physically and financially.

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