It’s an all-too-common situation. A family is at the bedside of a loved one who is seriously ill and nearing
the end of life. Each member of the family has a different idea of what should be done and what the
patient would want.
Many people wait until they are in the middle of a healthcare crisis before thinking about what options are
available or what care they or their loved ones would want.
Putting off learning about possible care options, like hospice, can cause loved ones to spend stressful days
in the hospital or the emergency room and miss opportunities to be at home with family.
When a family is coping with a serious illness and a cure is no longer possible, hospice provides the type of
care most people say they want at the end of life: comfort and dignity. Considered to be the model for high quality,
compassionate care for people with a life-limiting illness, hospice care includes expert medical care,
pain management, and emotional and spiritual support. Care is provided by an inter-disciplinary team of
professionals and trained volunteers.
Hospice care can be provided
wherever the person calls home–
where most Americans have said they
would want to be at this time. The
cost of hospice care is covered by
Medicare, Medicaid, and most private
insurance plans, and HMOs.
The National Hospice and Palliative
Care Organization reports that more
than 1.5 million people received care
from our nation’s hospices last year.
Whether or not hospice care is
the right fit for you and your family,
Caring Circle can help guide and
educate you on care options and
choices to ensure your loved one
experiences the best quality of
life possible.
One of the best ways to make sure
you and your loved ones benefit fully
from hospice, should you ever need
this care, is to talk about it before it
becomes an issue.
If you or a loved one has a serious
illness and would like to begin
conversations on care, please call
us at 269.429.7100 or visit
caring-circle.org to learn more.