Hospice
Evaluate Your Needs
For many people, hospice represents an important choice — allowing more autonomy and choice in directing final medical care than traditional treatment that focuses on life-saving procedures and cures. But the option is not the best fit for every patient who has a terminal disease — particularly those who feel strongly that hospice care signifies “giving up on life” rather than facilitating a good death.
Potential Advantages
Hospice may be most fitting for those who want to:
- Be treated at home or in a more homelike setting and avoid hospital admissions;
- Focus on treating their symptoms rather than on curing their illness; and
- Have the help of a team of people to assist with their comfort care, and emotional and spiritual needs.
Potential Disadvantages
Hospice care is probably not a good choice for those who:
- Worry that working with a number of different health care workers may invade their privacy;
- Wish to pursue experimental treatments or clinical trials for their conditions; or
- Are simply more comfortable receiving medical care in a traditional hospital setting.
The decision about whether hospice care meets an individual’s personal, physical, and medical needs should be determined by the patient and medical practitioners who are familiar with him or her. It may also be important to get input from family members and friends who may be responsible for providing some of the hospice care.
For more information about hospice care in general, see:
