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Before you, your family, or your loved one are admitted to hospice care, it’s important to know how long hospice care will last. Depending on the circumstances of your situation, you might find yourself in hospice care anywhere from just weeks to several months.
In general, most hospice patients experience anywhere from six months to two years of hospice care before they pass away.
If you aren’t sure whether or not this applies to your situation, talk to your medical and healthcare professionals about the average time in hospice care for similar patients with similar diagnoses.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is a type of medical care that focuses on comfort, not curing the patient. It provides relief from the symptoms of a terminal illness, such as pain and shortness of breath.
It is often provided by visiting nurses or home health aides who provide physical and emotional support to patients in their homes or in nursing homes.
How Long Do Hospice Patients Live?
The average stay in hospice care varies from person to person depending upon their condition. People live on hospice from two weeks to six months, depending on when the person with the terminal illness passes away.
The reason why some people spend one week in hospice, while others spend many months or even years is due to the difference in the severity of their situation and how well they can adjust to living with a terminal illness.
When Does a Patient Need Hospice Care?
Hospice care is for terminally ill people who are near the end of their life. The average time someone can stay in hospice care is about six to twelve months.
The length of time in hospice before death depends on what kind of disease you have, how well your body is able to fight off the disease, and any treatments you are getting.
Will Medicare Cover Hospice Care?
A big concern for many people is what will happen with Medicare coverage when they move into hospice care. If you have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and satisfy all the following requirements, you will be eligible for hospice care:
- Your normal doctor and your hospice doctor certify that you have a terminal illness (with a life expectancy below half a year)
- Palliative care is chosen above treatment aimed at curing your sickness
- You certify that you want hospice care for your terminal illness and associated problems rather than other Medicare-covered therapies
How To Improve a Patient’s Quality of Life
The best way to improve your loved one’s quality of life in hospice care is by making sure they are as comfortable as possible.
Some ways you can do this are by ensuring they’re not experiencing any pain, providing them with a calm and quiet environment, and making sure they have access to all the things they need in order to stay healthy.
Why Choose Hospice Care?
There are numerous advantages hospice care offers for cancer patients and their families. The following services are available from hospice if you or a loved one is coping with advanced cancer:
- Hospice offers patients and their families specialized care and support during this tough period. They work to raise people’s standards of living.
- Many patients are required to make several trips to the emergency room or endure multiple long-term hospital stays as the illness worsens. Hospice reduces readmissions by treating the patient’s discomfort and home-based symptoms.
Is It Possible to Get Hospice Care Without Going Into a Facility?
Many people mistakenly think that hospice care only applies to in-patient care. At All American Hospice, we offer other services, such as visiting nurses and home health aides, which can allow someone to stay at home instead of going into a facility.
This may be an important consideration for some people, especially if they have a large family and want to spend their last days surrounded by loved ones. Give us a call today to learn more about our caregiving services.
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