On Choosing Hospice Care
- josephinelevy1
- Apr 16
- 2 min read
National Healthcare Decisions Day (April 16th) is a reminder to review your choices for end-of-life care. Americans tend to delay on choosing hospice care, which means that patients and loved ones miss out on the benefits and support that hospice provides in the final months of life.
A report from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) shows that "10 percent of hospice recipients received care for two days or less in 2019. Twenty-five percent of beneficiaries received care for five days or less, and 50 percent received care for 18 days or less" (1). An increased understanding of hospice care ultimately leads to more life satisfaction when we can benefit sooner rather than later.
People qualify for hospice care when they have a prognosis of six months or less to live. Often this means that curative treatments are either no longer effective or beneficial to the patient. A switch to hospice care means that comfort care replaces curative care: the goal is not to "cure" the illness, but to give comfort and support to the patient and their loved ones.
One of the misconceptions about hospice care is that it hastens death. In fact, the focus on quality of life has sometimes been known to extend life beyond what is expected with curative care (2). The point of hospice, however, is not to extend the length of life, but to improve the quality of life that remains.
When Jimmy Carter was under hospice care for nearly two years, it was not because he received "special treatment" as a former President. While a prognosis of six months or less is a pre-requisite for hospice, once on hospice people can re-qualify for care if they live longer than that. They can also "graduate" from hospice care, if their condition improves enough. The extended time that President Carter received hospice care is a tribute to the value that hospice provides.
National Healthcare Decisions Day is a time to pause and consider the options available to us as life nears its end. Hospice care provides the support--physical, emotional, and spiritual--to both patient and family to help with the challenges that end of life can bring. Moving towards this support is an act of self-advocacy and care. This National Healthcare Decisions Day, be sure to discuss the role hospice can play in making the end of life better for all involved.
If you have questions about the role hospice care can play in your life, please reach out to us. We are open 24 hours a day, and our phones are always answered by a real person.
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