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.
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.
They say “laughter is the best medicine,” but it has to be used carefully when caring for an individual facing a terminal diagnosis. While the situation is clearly no laughing matter, when humor is used appropriately, it can improve the patient’s state of mind and build a bridge between the patient and healthcare providers.
The diagnosis of a serious illness is an emotional and trying time for both patients and their families. While they naturally pursue curative treatment in the early stages, there may come a time when curative treatment is no longer working or when the patient decides to stop curative treatment in favor of comfort and quality of life. This is the time for hospice.
Location is one of the first things many families consider when trying to find a hospice. But while location can be important, it is only one of the factors to weigh.
