What makes good hospice care?
Hospice care is a philosophy of treatment that focuses on caring, not curing. The goals of hospice care are to:
Relieve pain and suffering
Make possible a "good" death
Help the family
Assist in the search for meaning
Hospice care is recommended for those with a life expectancy of six months or less. The care includes:
Developing individualized care plans
Managing symptoms and pain
Improving quality of life
Encouraging patients and their families to make the most of their time together
Providing a variety of support services for patients and their families
A quality hospice should be able to quickly respond to any critical situations. For example, an on-call nurse may be available 24/7.
Hospice care is family-centered and includes the patient and the family in making decisions. Hospice care is recommended for those with a life expectancy of six months or less.
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