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WHAT IS HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE?
Considered
to be the model for quality, compassionate care for people facing
a life-limiting illness or injury, hospice and palliative care
involve a team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain
management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored
to the patient's needs and wishes. Support is provided to the
patient' s loved ones as well. At the center of hospice and
palliative care is the belief that each of us has the right
to die pain-free and with dignity, and that our families will
receive the necessary support to allow us to do so. Hospice
focuses on caring, not curing and, in most cases, care is provided
in the patient's home.
Hospice care also is provided in freestanding hospice centers,
hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities an other
long-term care facilities. Hospice services are available to
patients of any age, religion, race, or illness. Hospice care
is covered under Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance
plans, HMOs, and other managed care organizations.
Hospice is a positive option--a different kind of care that
aggressively provides comfort and attempts to maximize the quality
of living. Death is a natural part of the life cycle and hospice
wants to help families and patients make life meaningful until
the end of life. There is more to do and hospice care can do
it, if people are more open to the care early enough in their
diagnosis. Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice
provides personalized services and a caring community so that
patients and families can address the many issues that arise
at the end of life.
Palliative care extends the principles of hospice care to a
broader population that could benefit from receiving this type
of care earlier in their illness or disease process. No specific
therapy is excluded from consideration. An individual's needs
must be continually assessed and treatment options should be
explored and evaluated in the context of the individual’s values
and symptoms. Palliative care, ideally, would segue into hospice
care as the illness progresses. |
Patient
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Patient
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