Hospice Care Essay

Hospice care has been evolving since its founding in 1974. This type of care, typically known as end-of-life care, was established to provide comfort and support to those with six months or less of life remaining. In recent years, hospice has been experimenting with allowing those still using treatments to be eligible for care. Treatments or not, whoever is on hospice is typically in the final 6 months of their life. As stated in the article, the aim of hospice care is “to meet the needs of patients with life-limiting illnesses through expert symptom management, provision of home-based care, and facilitation of caregiver support”. Instead of trying to treat the patients, hospice attempts to manage and even reduce symptoms stemming from the patient’s illness. Most patients receiving hospice are able to stay at home, avoiding unnecessary trips to hospitals and emergency rooms. Supporting caregivers, typically family
This would allow even more patients to start receiving hospice care. Access to resources for these patients would grow, as would the quality of the end of their lives. Patients can also receive the palliative services they need through the expanding of hospice. Lastly, reducing hospitalization is a large benefit of hospice. The majority of Medicare spending goes to acute hospitalization, which can typically be avoided by those receiving hospice care. By receiving hospice care and avoiding hospitalization, the financial hospital-related costs will lower. The growth and change of hospice care becomes more prevalent as time goes on. End-of-life care has developed from a form of care for those in the final six months of their lives and with no medical support, to a form of care for people up to a year away from their final days and who can receive treatments at the same time. As the years continue, the goal is for hospice to be a widely used and approved form of