hospice care

What Chronic Illnesses May Require Hospice Care?  

The diagnosis of a chronic illness can be devastating to a family, bringing on stages of grief and unimaginable pain. Hospice care is a specialized type of treatment for patients that are entering the final stages of their life and is generally reserved for individuals with less than 6 months to live. With a hospice plan in place, patients are able to have more control over the way their final months of life are spent — often choosing to live at home to enjoy the time that they have left with friends and family.

What is Hospice Care?

While active treatment for illnesses is often provided in the hospital, hospice provides a more passive treatment that is targeted at improving quality of life as opposed to life-extending or curing treatments — this is known as palliative care. In a hospice situation, care providers serve the holistic person, supporting the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of the patient and their surviving family. This care can be provided at home, at a nursing home or assisted living facility or even at an in-patient hospital. The decision to enroll in hospice generally occurs when there is no possibility of a cure or treatment for your illness, or when individuals have decided to forego treatment for various reasons.

Chronic Illnesses That May Require Hospice

Hospice is generally an option when individuals are having a great deal of pain or are no longer able to care for themselves. Key illnesses that often require hospice include:

 

  • Cancer
  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
  • Dementia
  • Heart Failure
  • Liver or Renal Failure
  • Advanced HIV
  • Stroke
  • ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)

 

These illnesses must have entered the terminal stage before hospice becomes an option for a family.

Understanding the options for hospice starts with an acceptance that your loved one has entered the final stage of their life. Your hospice care team stands ready to provide a comprehensive suite of services from medical professionals as well as spiritual and emotional support for your loved one and your family. A strong network of Santé Hospice professionals that includes a medical director, in-home support from qualified home health aides or CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants), RNs (Registered Nurses) and social workers will help you understand the care options that are available. Contact us today for more information at 480-563-2402 or fill out our quick online contact form to learn more about the hospice offerings from Santé.

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