What Is Hospice? What You Need to Know

As a loved one moves towards the sunset of his or her life, your family care provider may recommend hospice care. Hospice programs in Philadelphia can provide a humane and comfortable option for a loved one who is suffering from a severe or debilitating illness. But what exactly is hospice care, and when is the right time to move a loved one into a hospice program?

Hospice is a specialized type of care reserved for men and women who are terminally ill. Hospice care focuses on making sure the patient is comfortable, free from pain, and that his or her spiritual and emotional needs are being met. Hospice professionals evaluate each individual patient’s needs when they arrive at the hospice facility and create a unique care plan to ensure that the patient’s last moments of life are as comfortable as they can be. Hospice care can be administered in a dedicated facility, or it may be provided in your loved one’s place of residence.

Hospice professionals may provide a number of services to terminally ill men and women, including physical and occupational therapy, drug administration to manage symptoms of disease or pain, spiritual services (like last rites for Roman Catholics), medical services like bandage changes, and planning for pre-arranged cremations in Philadelphia. Hospice will not provide your loved one with prescription drugs or treatment intended to cure your loved one’s illness, care in an emergency room setting, or long-term inpatient care. If your care provider recommends that a loved one moves to hospice care, it is because medical professionals do not believe that he or she will recover from their illness, or that ongoing treatments are putting your loved one in pain.

The decision to move a loved one to hospice care isn’t easy. If you need assistance assessing your loved one’s needs, call McCafferty Funeral Home today at 215-531-5014 for immediate attention.