Hospice can be the right choice for end-of-life care among many patients with terminal illnesses. That’s because hospice shifts the focus of medical treatment for the terminally ill from recovery to pain reduction. The three goals of hospice care are to comfort patients, improve their quality of life, and give them control over their end-of-life experience. Providing that comfort and control often means providing hospice care in a patient’s home, assisted living facility, or wherever they reside.
As a leading hospice care provider in Utah, Active Home Health, Hospice & Personal Care gets a lot of questions about hospice care and what it entails. For instance, many people don’t know that most insurance companies, including Medicare, cover at least six months of hospice. Keep reading for answers to other questions about what you can expect from Utah hospice care.
Is medical equipment provided by hospice companies?
When considering hospice, one of the main questions is, “Does hospice provide medical equipment like a hospital bed?”
In most cases, the hospice homecare provider will supply any equipment needed to facilitate hospice care. Medical equipment and supplies often needed for hospice include oxygen tanks, incontinence products, hospital beds, and more.
Generally, the need for additional medical equipment is minimal in the early part of hospice care. Then, as the patient’s condition changes, that need often increases. Hospice companies rely on members of the hospice staff who, after reviewing a patient’s condition, will place an order for what a patient requires at each stage of their hospice journey. Each patient’s needs will be different. Some will lose mobility and require wheelchairs. Others may develop breathing problems and need nebulizers or oxygen tanks.
Active Home Health, Hospice & Personal Care supplies all the equipment our hospice patients need to feel calm and comfortable.
Are pain management services provided during hospice care?
Yes, pain management is a primary goal of hospice care. Hospice is all about providing terminal patients with comfort and an improved quality of life. Managing and reducing a patient’s pain provides both.
Patients experiencing less pain can often remain active longer than those with more pain. That means they can spend more time doing things they enjoy and being around the people they love.
While a pain management routine usually includes some medication for physical symptoms, it can also include other methods for reducing a patient’s emotional and psychological pain, too. Some additional pain management methods can include massage, meditation, spiritual consultation, and counseling. At Active Home Health, Hospice & Personal Care, we know pain doesn’t just start and end with the patient. It’s why we also provide bereavement and emotional support services for those the patient leaves behind.