What Is The Goal Of Hospice?


End-of-life situations are hard to face…

…especially when the person is someone you love. It can be difficult to come to terms with the reality that a loved one may no longer be around for much longer and it’s natural to feel a mix of emotions including fear, sadness, guilt, and anger.

It may seem impossible to know what to do or say in such an emotionally charged situation. But being there for your loved one as they go through this process can make a world of difference. Here are some ways you can support them:

  • Respect their wishes – Everyone has different wants and needs when it comes to end-of-life care. Ask your loved one what they would like from you and respect that even if it’s different from what you would want.
  • Provide emotional and practical support – Support your loved one however you can, whether that’s listening to them talk about their feelings or helping with day-to-day tasks like grocery shopping or laundry.
  • Be honest about your feelings – Don’t be afraid to express how seeing them go through this makes you feel. Not only does it allow you to release emotions but it helps your loved one feel supported as well. Plus, talking allows for an open dialogue and a shared understanding of the situation.
  • And lastly, understand that there are ways to care for someone who is facing end-of-life possibilities that will not only help and bring them peace but also give you a sense of peace, too.

This is where hospice care can step in and help you and your loved ones on this journey. Let’s look at what hospice care is and how it can help.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice care is a type of medical care focused on providing comfort, symptom relief, and psychological support to individuals and their families facing terminal illnesses. Hospices provide palliative care that focuses on improving the quality of life for those with serious illnesses. This form of care does not offer curative treatment but instead seeks to make sure patients are as comfortable as possible in their last days.

Hospice teams typically include physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, pharmacists, and other trained staff who specialize in managing pain and symptoms while offering emotional and spiritual support to both patient and family during the difficult time when a cure is no longer an option. The hospice team works together with the patient’s doctor to develop a plan that meets the individual’s needs and preferences.


How Did Hospice Care Start?

Hospice care first began in the United Kingdom in 1967, when Dame Cicely Saunders opened St. Christopher’s Hospice in London. This was the world’s first purpose-built hospice and served as an example for other countries to follow.

Since then, hospice care has spread across the globe, offering compassionate and expert care to those at the end of life. In 1978, the National Hospice Organization (NHO) was founded in the United States to support existing programs and foster the growth of new ones. Today there are more than 4,400 hospices operating throughout America.

In a sense, though, hospice care existed long before it had a name or organized infrastructure. For centuries, family members and doctors alike have been caring for the terminally ill at home or in hospital settings.

In the 1940s, a key event occurred that laid the groundwork for modern hospice care: Dr. Saunders began to advocate for a holistic approach to end-of-life care. She argued that patients should be treated with respect and dignity while also providing comfort and support to their families at this difficult time. This idea eventually led to St. Christopher’s Hospice, which embraced her vision of patient-centered care.

Since then, hospice care has become an integral part of healthcare systems around the world. By taking a whole-person approach focused on quality of life rather than quantity, it has provided countless individuals and their families with the chance to live out their last days in comfort and peace.

What Are The Goals Of Hospice Care?

Hospice care is a form of palliative care that focuses on both the physical and emotional needs of patients who are facing life-limiting illnesses. While death can be an uncomfortable subject to discuss, hospices provide compassionate care and support to help ensure that all aspects of the patient’s life and death are as comfortable as possible. The main goals of hospice care are to:

1. Provide Comfort: Hospices strive to make sure their patients are comfortable physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually by providing medical care, pain relief, counseling services, spiritual guidance, social activities, and much more.

2. Maintain Quality of Life: Hospices work to improve the quality of life for their patients by helping to manage and relieve the symptoms of their illnesses. They also provide emotional, social, and spiritual support to ensure that their patients are able to enjoy life as much as possible.

3. Support Family Members: Hospices understand that a patient’s care does not only affect them, but it can also have an impact on the entire family. As such, hospices strive to provide support for families by offering counseling services, providing grief resources and education about living with a terminal illness, and more.

4. Provide Education: Hospice care providers are dedicated to educating their patients and their families about all aspects of end-of-life care so they can make informed decisions during this difficult time in their lives.

5. Respect Patient Choices: Hospices understand that each patient has different beliefs and wishes when it comes to end-of-life care. As such, they strive to respect the choices, values, and wishes of their patients while helping to ensure that those desires are carried out.

All in all, hospice care is designed with one main goal in mind – to provide comfort and support for those who are facing a terminal illness so that they can live as fully and comfortably as possible until the very end. With compassionate care and support from hospice workers, families can rest assured knowing that their loved ones will be taken care of with dignity and respect throughout this difficult time.

What Does The Future Of Hospice Look Like?

The future of hospice care looks bright, thanks to advances in technology and medicine. Hospices are now able to provide more services than ever before, such as specialized pain management and psychological support. This can help ensure that patients receive the best possible end-of-life care.

In addition, hospices are utilizing new technologies to improve their ability to monitor and provide comfort for those receiving care. For example, wireless sensors and monitors allow nurses to track vital signs remotely, while secure video conferencing allows patients to connect with family members from anywhere in the world. These advancements are making it easier for health professionals to coordinate care plans and respond quickly when a patient’s condition changes.

Hospices have also been taking advantage of big data to better understand the needs of their patients. By collecting and analyzing large amounts of patient information, hospices can identify trends in care and develop strategies for providing personalized support.

Finally, hospice care is becoming more accessible than ever before. In addition to traditional home-care services, many hospices now offer virtual visits with physicians and other staff members so that patients can receive care without having to leave their homes. This trend will likely continue as healthcare providers strive to make end-of-life care more convenient and accommodating for all individuals.

Overall, the future of hospice care looks positive, as advances in technology and medicine are allowing doctors and nurses to provide better, more personalized service than ever before. With an emphasis on patient comfort and quality of life, hospices will be able to offer their patients the best possible care in their golden years.

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Seasons Hospice is an independent community health care provider, not a large for-profit organization. We would not be able to offer our hospice services if we did not have the support of passionate community members who understand the importance of cost-free hospice care. To simplify the hospice process for patients and families, we rely on the generosity of our donors.