Hospice is a term we're all familiar with but do you know what they do?
I had no experience with Hospice until a doctor recommended we call for my father-in-law. He wasn't sick but he had been in the hospital for little things quite a few times that year. He was in his late 80's and we figured that was just something we had to deal with on our own.....but I was wrong.
I always assumed they were to be called when someone had no hope of recovery and only had weeks to live. When the Hospice doctor came to evaluate dad he said we should have called sooner. Within days the Hospice people had supplied us with a hospital bed, a lift to get dad in and out of bed, a wheelchair, and many, many other supplies too numerous to name and all of this for no charge!
Dad was placed on a schedule to receive visits each day from aids to care for him, clergy to talk with him and a doctor on call at all times. The rest of the family were told that if they had any questions or needed someone to talk to about dad we could call at any time.
Hospice was handling his every need and making all of our lives so much better. We had been taking care of all these things on our own for years before we found out about Hospice and it was getting VERY expensive.
In my experience, the people who work for Hospice are the nicest, most compassionate, caring and knowledgeable people I've ever met. They knew what to expect and gently guided us through the most difficult time of our lives and were by our side through the entire process.
Our Hospice people were angels and I'll never forget them or everything they did for us and that's why I'm making sure that you all know how much they can help you.
The criteria for qualifying for hospice is as follows: If you answer yes to any of these questions, you qualify.
1. Is his or her treatment no longer helping or working?
2. Has he or she experienced one or more life-threatening infections during the past six months?
3. Have there been multiple trips to the hospital or emergency room during the past year?
4. Has there been unintentional weight loss and/or decreased food intake?
5. Is there difficulty swallowing?
6. Has there been a continued decline in his or her ability to function?
7. Have you been told there's no further treatment available and care will now focus on providing comfort or relieving the symptoms, as opposed to prolonging life?
8. Do the patient's caregivers need support to help care for their loved one?
9. Is there any expectation for a meaningful recovery?
10. Has a medical professional given the patient a prognosis of six months or less?
If you're caring for a loved one and you need additional help, don't hesitate to call a Hospice near you. When you choose a Hospice be aware that there are non-profit and for profit Hospices. I don't know if it makes a difference but the Hospice we used was a non-profit.
If you're are in the Central Florida area and reside in Orange, Seminole or Osceola County you are in the service are of the Hospice I used. Words can not express my gratitude for how well they cared for Dad. They are Hospice of the Comforter and as I said they are non-profit so if you are looking for a wonderful place to donate to a great cause, where you can really make a difference, look no further.
Here is a website to find a Hospice near you.
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