Most people have heard the term “hospice” before, but not everyone really understand what that word means. Hospice is a service that is provided to people who are dealing with an illness that is no longer responding to treatment. When someone chooses hospice care, they are choosing health care that is not designed to treat the underlying illness, but it designed to provide comfort and support to the patient, making their quality of life for the remainder of their lifetime as good as possible. The health care professionals providing the hospice care aim to maximize comfort and control the symptoms. They strive to reduce pain and discomfort, and to help address the person’s physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs.
Hospice is not just about the patient; it is also about their families and their support system. While the experience is not the same, the families and support system are going through a difficult time, as well, and need to be able to receive the support that they need so that they can continue to effectively support the patient, while coping with their own struggles.
For more information about hospice in general, or the services that Procare Hospice has to offer, give us a call!