Hospice Explained
Hospice is not a place you go to die. Hospice is a philosophy of care that focuses on your comfort and quality of life rather than curing a disease. Hospice is a choice for someone with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less.
Hospice is not giving up hope, hospice is redefining hope and focusing on your quality of life and the connection with those you love.
We are here to help.
Hospice care is typically in the patient’s home
Hospice care in the home is not 24-hour nursing care. Patients are cared for by family members, hired caregivers, assisted living, or skilled nursing home staff. When symptoms become too severe at home, then 24-hour care may be provided at the Hinds Hospice Home.
The hospice goal
The goal of hospice is to provide compassionate, effective care that is consistent with the needs and goals of patients and family caregivers. The goal is not to hasten death. Our hospice team works to maximize the quality of life and minimize suffering for those we serve.
Now what?
When you hear the words, “There is nothing else that can be done for your loved one,” often the response is, “Now what? Have I been abandoned?”
No, you have not. When you choose Hinds Hospice, our care reflects a partnership between the patient, the family, and the professional care providers in these ways:
- We help you sustain a sense of autonomy, individuality, self-worth, and security
- We enhance your quality-of-life
- We aggressively treat and expertly manage all pain and physical symptoms
- We care for the whole person, addressing your physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and social concerns
- We support you and your family in the process of coping with the end of life, and during bereavement
- We offer grief and loss support for at least 13 months for family members
- We foster understanding, compassionate treatment, and care of those facing the end of life
Hinds Hospice is hope
People who choose hospice are not giving up hope. They are redefining hope. Though there may no longer be a possibility of curing an illness, hope is directed toward mending and restoring relationships, spending quality time with loved ones, and finding peace and comfort living this last and important phase of life.