Hospice brings both comfort and dignity to dying. Most of us have little control over when we die, but we have some say in how we die, and more patients are choosing hospice. At Suncrest Home Health and Hospice of Chicago, we provide patients with quality, compassionate, end-of-life care.
The Rise of Hospice Care
Whether you love or hate the health care system in America, the truth is it can control the direction of how health care is provided. Medicare, the government-run health insurance program, pays for only six months in hospice care. Thus, most hospice programs accept only patients who have a doctor’s referral that states they believe the patients has less than six months to live.
In reality, most hospice patients die within weeks of entering the program. It is end-of-life care for people who have chosen to stop receiving lifesaving medications and treatments, so this is the expectation.
Medicare created its Medicare Hospice Benefit program in 1982, and according to the National Institutes of Health, the use of hospice care has grown steadily since then. The number of patients in hospice in 2006 was approximately 1.3 million, and by 2012, that number was 1.65 million. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, about 44% of people in the U.S. who died in 2011 used hospice care.
If it were not for Medicare, many of these patients would not be able to access hospice care.
The Benefits of Hospice Care
Prior to Medicare paying for hospice care, patients had fewer choices for end-of-life care. Most hospices accept private insurance, but when the insurance company does not pay, many families are not in a position to pay privately for hospice.
Thus, many families had to take care of dying patients on their own. But much has changed in the world since 1982, and today it would be extremely difficult for all families to take care of their own ailing elders separately, considering their other responsibilities with family, school and work. Being able to get outside help and care is invaluable.
Often very ill patients are bedridden, and bathing them and changing the sheets is hard work. Many patients also must be spoon-fed their meals, and almost none can be left alone for any period of time.
Patients are able to receive the care they need in hospice. They have access to skilled hospice nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, therapists, counselors, spiritual advisors and more. These services can be delivered in a facility or at home.
When a patient chooses to give up lifesaving measures such as certain medications and therapies, they are choosing to die on their own terms. Having access to hospice care that’s covered by insurance can feel like a blessing.
Suncrest: Chicago’s First Choice for Hospice
If you or a loved one has received a terminal diagnosis, you may want to learn more about hospice care in Chicago and how it works. Contact Suncrest Home Health and Hospice for more information.
