CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — The biggest barrier people encounter when considering hospice care isn’t its end-of-life focus, it’s the fact that most patients and families choose it too late.
Sun Tree Home Health & Hospice patient care coordinator Ryan Coomes says one of the questions they are frequently asked is “When is the right time to call?”
Learn about the benefits of hospice care from the experts at Sun Tree Home Health and Hospice in the media player above.
“Most people wait until their final days or weeks of life,” he said.
Coomes said experts agree that hospice is most beneficial when provided for a minimum of three months, with six months being ideal.
At the core of hospice is palliative care, which is making the patient feel as comfortable as possible and not directly treating an illness. Relieving pain – the centerpiece of palliative care – should be considered earlier rather than later in the process.
“The majority of people tell us they wished they would have called hospice much earlier. The entire family could have been receiving emotional, spiritual and grief support. We want you to know that you and your family don’t have to go through this challenging time alone,” he said.
Hospice care typically gives immediate improvement to the quality of life for both the patients and family members. In the “Ask a Local Expert” video above, Coomes offers a few signs that it could be time for hospice support care.
The decision to begin care is highly personal, Coomes said, but patients or family members have the option to end hospice care and restart curative care at any time. There really is no risk to exploring hospice.
“We recommend you choose to focus on quality of life and comfort for you and your loved ones. To take the next steps give us a call at Sun Tree Hospice, and we will be happy to have a conversation about your goals of care and walk you through the process.”
For more information, visit the Sun Tree Hospice website or call to schedule a consultation today at 435-767-1171.
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