A woman in her sixties was suffering from severe degenerative bone disease and had undergone several surgeries on her back and shoulders. With no family living nearby to help, she felt anxiety, loneliness, and a sense of isolation. Wanting the best for his patient, this woman’s primary care physician asked Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care to help coordinate a treatment program to manage her pain and address her emotional issues.
It’s a moment that no family wants to face, but that we all will at some point in our lives. Our loved one is in the hospital and the doctors deliver that heartbreaking message: “There’s nothing more we can do.” At this point, the patient and their family have a choice to make: Hospice vs hospital.
When a loved one is admitted to the hospital, their family often rallies with thoughts and prayers that their loved one will soon be discharged. The hospital discharge planner is the patient’s ally in making sure this transition from the hospital to home, a nursing home, assisted living, or rehabilitation facility goes smoothly.
“Tell me a surprising fact about hospice care” isn’t your normal conversation starter. But if you were to ask this to ten different people, you’d probably find that most of them have a pretty different understanding of what hospice actually is.
Hospice care and palliative care are both synonymous with comfort, but there are important differences. Understanding these differences and understanding the importance of palliative care will ensure the seriously ill receive the right level of care at the right time so they can make the most of each day they have.
A terminal diagnosis is a devastating blow to a patient. It’s also devastating for those who love them. In addition to providing care for their loved one, they have to work through the emotional impact of the diagnosis.
