When you have a fmily member who is terminally ill and needs constant care, both medically and emotionally, would you rather have them stay at home or at a Hospice facility? Why?
[Hospice is a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when a life-limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments. http://www.hospicefoundation.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=47055]
Re: Hospice or Home?
hospice. dealing with this first hand.... god forbid we arent there (hope we never get there), but a regular joe can simply not provide the medical round the clock care that you can find at hospice. if it were just bout mental and emotional support, then home would be better choice for me... but if a person's health can worsen any time... i would want professionals to be there immediately.
some places actually allow a family member to live with the paitent.. now THAT would be ideal! (in such a situation)
Re: Hospice or Home?
I hear they do religious counseling as well?
Re: Hospice or Home?
Good topic Niksik. I wanted to have one like that started. Will discuss later when I have more time. :)
Re: Hospice or Home?
I'm waiting :ASA:
Re: Hospice or Home?
^:)
Sorry Niksik,
Here is the line of discussion I wanted to have some thoughts on.
1- Older relatives need care and love by everyone.
2- Ths could be so much demanding that caregivers may get frustrated and hence 'caregiver anxiety and stress' is a known phenomenon.
3- Out of desperation and not finding any other means to help elderly/chronically ill patients, people try to seek help from agencies which specialize this field including nursing homes or home health agencies.
However there is a caveat which people need to be clarified on.
Hospice is for those who are to die in next 6 months or less.
If not, then they are not appropriate for hospice care.
There has to be a some sort of surity that the person WILL die within six months, otherwise some other means need to be sought. They do not provide 24 hour care anyways and not even on daily basis at home. Maybe three days a week for short time.
Hospice programs get paid by medicare/Govt on a complex fee schedule and daily cost is incurred by the agencies to take care of these unfortunate terminally ill patents. Shorter the life of that person, more saving for the agency.
So an average joe needs to understand NOT to run to the hospice care for help if they do not have a heart to see their loved one die in 6 months. (Read between the line here and please do not ask me to explain)
In essence, hospice means survival has to be within 6 months.
Not all sick people should be enrolled in it.
And religiously speaking we cannot or should not ty to predict the life of the person. (needs more detailed discussion which could be controversial)
Another related problem is that if both husband and wife work and kids go to school, who can take care of old parent?
Financially and emotionally it could be a huge issue.
I will stop here for now. :)
Re: Hospice or Home?
Sorry Diwana, but your views look like they were copy-pasted from a few different websites.
I think you have to do what is best for the person needing care. If they only require emotional and physical support then you could maybe keep them at home as long as people are around to take care of them.
If they need 24hr medical care, unless you are qualified to deliver that care (or pay for someone who can at home) you should really place them where they will be made comfortable.