Cancer patients may opt for hospice care if they reach the advanced stage of the illness where the treatment does not improve their health. End-stage cancer hospice care involves the patient’s family and requires the family to support the patient so that he can have peace in their final days.
End-of-life cancer hospice care starts when the physician diagnoses that the patient has six months or less to live. At this point, the patient discontinues the curative cancer treatment. Hospice care for cancer patients is to improve their quality of life and give them dignity and comfort in their final days. The care gives the patient a chance to spend time with family and enjoy their left time.
End-Stage Care
Hospice care has numerous benefits to both the cancer patient and their family. They include:
- Pain Management. Hospice care mostly focuses on managing pain and other symptoms to make the patient as comfortable as possible. The doctor will prescribe medication to help with breathing difficulties, nausea, fatigue, or other symptoms.
- Family Care and Bereavement Support. The hospice care team will not only provide care to the patient, but they will also provide care to the patient. The family will be educated on how to take care of the patient and be given emotional support. Bereavement support will help the family accept the patient’s death and support them as they grieve. The support can last for even a year after the death of the cancer patient.
- Respite Care. End-stage cancer hospice care offers respite care to caregivers where they are given a break from taking care of the patient. Taking care of a terminally ill patient can be very overwhelming, and that’s why respite care is a part of hospice care. The patient will be taken care of in a hospice facility or at home by the hospice team for even several days so that the caregiver can recharge at taking care of the patient well.
- Spiritual and Emotional Care. At the end of their life, patients may experience emotional stress; thus, hospice care offers emotional support to the cancer patient. This is through counseling so that the patient can find meaning in their lives and accept their condition. This helps the patient find peace and enjoy their final days. On the other hand, spiritual care is meant to help patients connect with their spirituality. Spiritual care helps the patient explore their spiritual strengths and perform any religious ceremonies or rituals required according to their faith.
A Compassionate and Caring Team
Medicaid, Medicare, and other private insurance plans will cover the costs of end-stage cancer care if the doctors confirm that the patient qualifies for hospice care—you don’t have to worry about providing the best care for your loved ones in the final stage of their lives. Ameriprime is a Medicare-certified hospice agency that offers services in Dallas, Richardson, Carrolton, Garland, and surrounding TX communities. Our end-of-life care professionals can answer any questions you may have. contact us at (972) 787-0949) or on the contact form on our website to learn more.
