Signs It’s Time For Hospice Support

If we had our way, clients would contact hospice agencies and begin learning more immediately after receiving a terminal prognosis or diagnosis. Hospice is an incredible organization. Our services are completely free of charge, covered by Medicare, and provide a well-rounded net of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual support that goes far beyond the clinical care realm.

Did you know that in addition to living longer and with a higher quality of life, hospice services also extend to your family? We take a whole-family approach to caregiving and it’s never too early to learn more about what we have to offer, so you’re ready to move forward with our services when you’re ready.

7 Signs You (Or Someone You Love) Need Hospice Support

If you’re on the fence about whether or not to call hospice, we say go out on a limb and make the call. If you’re still not ready, here are the seven most common signs you need hospice or that maybe your caregivers or family are in need of the incredible support we’re here to provide.

You’ve received a terminal diagnosis/prognosis

Many people believe that hospice means you’re giving up on life and surrendering to death. If we aren’t called until the last two weeks or the last days of someone’s life, it’s inevitable that the bulk of our work is in supporting that client’s transition between life and death – without any ability to offer them the extended support they could have benefitted from for months or even years.  We prefer to be called early so clients can learn more about hospice care, our agency, and what we have to offer. Even if you choose to fight or treat your disease/condition for months or years, we’ll still be here for you when you need us. And, the sooner we are able to activate your hospice care team, the sooner you and your family members and caregivers benefit from our support.

You’re thinking about taking advantage of palliative care

Many hospice agencies, including ours, offer both palliative care and hospice services. This means qualifying patients can continue with certain curative treatments for their condition while receiving top-notch comfort care and support. Then curative treatments are no longer effective, and you’ve made the decision to cease them, you simply switch over to our hospice care team without a wrinkle or hiccup.

There is a feeling of permanent discomfort (or overwhelm)

Hospice care is centered on honoring patients and families where they are at and improving their quality of daily life any way we can, including comfort care. If you’ve come to a place where your medical conditions or debilitations cause continuous discomfort of you and your primary caregiver (spouse, family member(s), etc.) are continually overwhelmed, it’s a sign you need more support both physically and emotionally.

Daily tasks are challenging or becoming impossible

The more arduous your daily life is, the more energy you’re exerting just to exist, rather than being able to maintain as much nourishment and rejuvenation as possible. If it’s getting harder for you to perform daily tasks, let us help. Signs you need hospice include disease-related or end-of-life challenges with day to day functions, such as:

• Meal preparation
• Light housekeeping
• Mobility around the house
• Bathing, changing, daily hygiene
• Running errands
• Remembering to take medications
• Etc.

…it’s time to check in with hospice. We can start by making sure you have all of the durable medical equipment necessary to support daily tasks. In addition to doctors and nurses, our hospice teams also include social workers, nursing aides, and volunteers who can help to fill in the other gaps.

You know you want to die at home

According to recent research, 80% of Americans say they’d prefer to die at home. In reality, only 20% get their wish. The other 60% die in hospitals and 20% die in acute care facilities. By and large, these facility deaths occur because the patient or their families didn’t contact hospice soon enough, which prevented the creation of detailed end-of-life plans reflecting the patient’s genuine preferences.  If you know you want to die at home, but are still pursuing curative medical treatments, that’s okay. However, we do recommend reaching out to reputable hospice care agencies in your area to learn more about them. The more you’ve established a relationship with your future hospice care team, the easier it will be to transfer on to their service when the time is right. Hospice care can be provided just about anywhere (wherever you call home, in the hospital or acute care settings, or in designated hospice houses), but having your hospice team in place at home helps to make that decision easier and exponentially reduces the risk of a panicked family member or caregiver calling 911 in the event of an emergency, which can easily land you in the hospital – away from your home, loved ones, and daily comforts.

You need hospice support if you want to die in a home-like setting

Some hospice agencies, such as ours, have designated hospice houses. These settings are heartfully designed and set up to provide a quiet, peaceful and homelike setting that is free of the hustle and bustle of the typical facility setting. There, you receive all of the same benefits of home hospice clients, including support that encompasses the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realms.

You are grieving

Did you know that in addition to our typical menu of hospice services, most hospice agencies offer grief support? Experiencing grief is another one of the signs you need hospice support. Depending on your situation, grief support is offered via professional grief support from therapists, one-on-one peer support, or in group settings. It doesn’t matter if the grief is one day old, or 50 years old, we’re here to meet and support our grieving community wherever they may be in their journey. Also, it’s important to note that grief comes in many forms. So, while we offer grief support services for those who’ve lost loved ones, we’re also able to serve those experiencing anticipatory grief, delayed grief, or other manifestations that might go overlooked by other professionals.

Get Proactive About End Of Life Care

If you’re wondering whether it’s time to call hospice, that’s one of the biggest signs of all that you need hospice or need to learn more about what we offer. Contact Hospice of the Golden Isles, at 912-265-4735, and we’ll do all we can to provide comfort and improve your quality of life.