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Edited on Fri Oct-28-05 08:46 AM by Patiod
You don't necessarily have to go "in there".
In fact, that's one of the best benefits to hospice -- the chance to stay in your own home during your last days.
Hospice can be a real blessing - providing nursing care, home health aides, and volunteers to give family members some respite. They help with all the paperwork and red tape, and even help the family make arrangements after the end has come, including grief support.
For work, I've interviewed regular MDs and hospice MDs on the topic of pain management, and regular MDs are still in the Stone Age compared to hospice MDs. Hospice MDs not are afraid of the FDA, and will Rx what the patient needs, and not worry that they might get "in trouble".
Friends are often resistant when the subject is broached - no one wants to "give up the fight", but more than one has come back and said something like "I'm really sorry we didn't turn to hospice earlier - they've been a big help not just with Dad, but a real support for Mom. I had no idea of all the services they offer."
It's taken a while, but payers are finally starting to see that they can do good AND save money by letting the patient receive care at home rather than in a hospital setting.
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