Dispelling Common Myths and Misconceptions About Hospice Care: Facts You Need to Know
When people hear the word "hospice," it often brings to mind difficult emotions and uncertainty. Unfortunately, many hospice misconceptions add to the confusion, leaving families unsure about what it truly offers. In reality, hospice is a compassionate approach that provides comfort, dignity, and support during life’s most challenging moments.
It brings together a dedicated team of healthcare professionals to care for terminally ill patients, both supporting the efforts of family caregivers and providing essential services. Yet, many families do not use hospice care or simply wait until it is too late. This is largely due to a number of common myths about hospice.
Here, Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care will dispel a few of these hospice myths and misconceptions, offering hospice myths and facts to shed light on the truth about hospice care and how it can bring peace to both patients and their loved ones.
Hospice Myth #1: Hospice is only for the last few days of life. – FALSE!
Fact: Patients become eligible to receive hospice care when they receive a prognosis of six months or less to live, if their illness follows its typical course. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) 2024 Facts and Figures, the average length of stay for those enrolled in hospice through Medicare was 95.3 days in 2022. By entering hospice care earlier, patients can benefit from a multidisciplinary team that provides support throughout their journey. Early admission to hospice allows the patient and their family to receive added support and services including:
- Pain and symptom management
- Emotional and spiritual support
- Medication, medical supplies, and medical equipment at no cost to the family
- Respite care
In addition, Crossroads offers unique programs to enhance quality of life including the Gift of a Day, Veteran’s Recognition, and Life Journals.
Hospice Myth #2: Hospice care is only provided in a special facility. – FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care is a service that can be provided wherever the patient calls home, including an assisted living facility or nursing home. While some patients may choose to receive hospice care in a hospital setting, many prefer to remain in the comfort of their own home.
Hospice care teams - which include nurses, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains, bereavement coordinators, and volunteers - visit the patient to offer care, support, and education. This allows patients to remain in a familiar and comfortable environment surrounded by their loved ones while still receiving necessary care.
Hospice staff provides education to family caregivers on the types of medication and symptom management that will be administered. The family should always have a sense of what is going on with their loved one.
Hospice Myth #3: Hospice care is expensive and not covered by insurance. – FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care is completely covered under Medicare, Medicaid in most states, and most private insurance plans. 85% of patients use their Medicare Hospice Benefit to cover hospice services. These programs recognize the importance of compassionate end-of-life care and include provisions to cover hospice services. In addition to the care provided by the hospice team, hospice provides medication, medical supplies, and medical equipment such as hospital beds and wheelchairs.
After the patient has passed, hospice bereavement counselors are available to support their loved ones in their time of mourning.
Hospice Myth #4: Hospice care is only for cancer patients. – FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care is provided to patients with life-limiting illnesses including AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, cancer, cardiopulmonary disease, cerebral vascular accidents, kidney disease, liver disease, and neurological conditions. If you’re unsure whether hospice is the right option, you can learn more about hospice criteria and eligibility to help guide your decision.
A hospice consultation is an excellent way to determine if a patient is eligible for hospice care. The hospice consultation allows the patient and family to meet with a nurse to ask questions and discuss the options available to them. If they are not yet eligible or ready for hospice care, they may qualify for palliative care support. For more information on hospice and what makes Crossroads different, please call 1-855-327-4677. The Crossroads team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays.
Hospice Myth #5: Hospice care is only for the patient, not the family. – FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care is not limited to the patient alone; it extends its support to the entire family. Hospice teams provide emotional and practical assistance to family members, helping them navigate the challenges of caregiving and offering counseling and bereavement services.
This holistic approach ensures that families receive the support they need during the patient's end-of-life journey and after their loved one's passing.
Hospice Myth #6: Hospice care means giving up on medical treatments. – FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care focuses on shifting the goals of care from curative measures to enhancing quality of life. While aggressive medical interventions are discontinued, patients still receive comprehensive symptom management and treatment to alleviate pain, manage symptoms, and ensure comfort.
Hospice care professionals work closely with patients and their families to develop personalized care plans that prioritize comfort and dignity.
Hospice Myth #7: It is the doctor’s responsibility to bring up hospice. - FALSE!
Fact: While it is a doctor’s responsibility to provide a hospice order — and while they should bring it up if the patient has six months or less to live — it is not a requirement for a doctor to initiate a hospice conversation. Patients and families can absolutely initiate conversations about hospice. If you believe hospice care could be beneficial for improving your loved one’s quality of life, don't hesitate to bring it up.
Hospice Myth #8: Once the choice is made for hospice care, there is no turning back. - FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. If a patient’s condition improves or they decide to pursue curative treatments, they can choose to leave hospice care at any time. The decision remains in the hands of the patient and their family.
Hospice Myth #9: Hospice requires a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) Order. - FALSE!
Fact: A DNR order is not required for hospice care. While some patients in hospice choose to have a DNR, it is entirely up to the individual and not a mandatory condition for receiving care.
Hospice Myth #10: All hospices are the same. - FALSE!
Fact: Not all hospices offer the same services or have the same philosophy of care. It's important to research and select a hospice that aligns with your needs. Some hospices may offer specialized services like respite care, special services for Veterans, or pediatric programs.
To help guide your decision, learn more about how to choose a hospice that’s right for you.
Hospice Myth #11: People with intellectual or development disabilities can’t receive hospice care. - FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care is available to anyone with a terminal illness, including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Care plans are personalized to meet the unique needs of each patient, regardless of their cognitive or developmental conditions.
Hospice Myth #12: Hospice is only for the elderly. - FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care is for anyone facing a life-limiting illness, regardless of age. While elderly patients often use hospice, people of all ages, including children, can benefit from the specialized care hospice provides. For patients under 18, government regulations differ from those for adults, allowing for concurrent care that focuses on both curative treatment and comfort.
Hospice Myth #13: Hospice care and palliative care are the same thing - FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care includes palliative care, but the two are not identical. Palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness and while still receiving treatment, focusing on symptom management, whereas hospice care is designed for patients nearing the end of life, typically with six months or less to live.
For a more detailed comparison, you can explore additional information on palliative care vs. hospice care.
Hospice Myth #14: Hospice care ends with the patient's passing - FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care extends beyond the patient’s passing by offering bereavement support to family members. These services help families cope with their loss and may continue for up to a year after the patient’s death.
Hospice Myth #15: Hospice is the same as euthanasia. - FALSE!
Fact: Hospice care is not euthanasia. Hospice focuses on comfort, dignity, and symptom management at the end of life, without taking any measures to hasten or cause death. It looks to make the time that does remain better and more meaningful.
Hospice Myth #16: Morphine hastens death. - FALSE!
Fact: When administered correctly under medical supervision, morphine does not hasten death but instead provides comfort and ease during a patient’s final days. Morphine and other medications used in hospice are intended to relieve pain and manage symptoms, like difficulty breathing.
It is essential to dispel common myths about hospice care to ensure that individuals with terminal illnesses and their families can access the support they require. Hospice care provides comfort, dignity, and comprehensive assistance throughout the end-of-life journey, benefiting both patients and their loved ones. By addressing these hospice myths and facts, we hope to encourage more people to explore the valuable services that hospice care offers, allowing them to embrace the final stages of life with compassion, support, and understanding.
Recommended Additional Reading:
- Hospice FAQ
- Who Pays for Hospice?
- Scores and Scales: Understanding the Balance of Hospice Eligibility
If you have a loved one you think can benefit from hospice care, receive a free evaluation from a compassionate Crossroads nurse now. You can start via the contact options at the top of this page.