Hospice Care: The Importance of Making the Call Early

One of the statements that the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Hanover & Spring Grove Hospice program hears over and over again from the families and caregivers of our Hospice patients is this: “I only wish we would have called you sooner.”

Dealing with the terminal illness of a loved one is an incredibly difficult situation. While death is inevitable for all of us, it is especially hard to know a loved one might only have a few months left to live. It can be even harder to see that loved one in pain. As the illness progresses, it is not unusual for the family or caregiver to experience extreme stress as well as physical and emotional exhaustion. Often times, a family member or caregiver’s life gets put “on hold” so that they can care for their loved one.

It has been our experience that those families and caregivers who make the decision to obtain Hospice care early on feel an immense sense of relief almost immediately. Many people don’t realize all of the benefits that Hospice care provides. The Hospice team is able to manage the patient’s pain and symptoms so the patient can remain comfortable at home – whether that home is a personal residence, assisted living facility, or nursing home. The family or caregiver and patient have access to staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and also can call upon support services professionals if they need help in coming to terms with their loved one’s illness, whether it be questions about insurance or dealing with spiritual needs.

All too often, we see patients whose doctors, family, or caregivers have put off making the call to Hospice until just days before their loved one’s death. With so little time for Hospice staff to spend with the patient and their family or caregivers, both the patient and their family or caregivers often end up missing out on so many of the benefits of Hospice. A patient can sometimes suffer needlessly whereas their comfort and pain would have been managed by Hospice, making their final days as peaceful as possible.

There is a belief held by some that medications used to alleviate symptoms may hasten death in Hospice patients. In fact, there has been research shown to prove the opposite. In an article in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, a study showed that terminally ill patients receiving Hospice care lived, on average, 29 days longer than those who did not receive Hospice care.

We often find that people are surprised to learn that Medicare covers Hospice care at 100%. Many private insurers, as well as Medicaid, also provide a Hospice benefit.

When a patient and their family or caregiver chooses Hospice care, they allow themselves more time to enjoy each other’s company and make sure their affairs are in order. They experience less stress, which can lead to longer lives of surviving spouses. They receive emotional and spiritual support which can be comforting during such a challenging time. If you or someone you know is dealing with a terminally ill loved one, please don’t wait to call Hospice. As the wife of one of a Hospice patient once wrote: “Calling Hospice was the best decision I ever made.”

Linda M. Baile, President & CEO
VNA of Hanover & Spring Grove