Hospice Education
Many people who are terminally ill will remain at home
or in an alternative homelike care setting in order to achieve
their desire for death with dignity. This page gives general
information on hospice and home care.
A key objective in home/hospice care is to obtain high-quality palliative care to control
pain and preserve the highest possible quality of life for as
long as life remains. For elderly people, the decision to begin
home/hospice care is often linked to more general issues regarding basic
living arrangements, finances, and aging. A very important decision is whether you wish
for
home/hospice care as
an alternative to a hospital setting.
Because it is a team effort to tailor
palliative care and
pain management for each person, it
is best to begin educating about hospice care
before a crisis exists. Families often feel it is too soon
to begin hospice care and wait until death is very near. Bringing
hospice professionals in at the last minute limits their effectiveness. A better approach is to arrange for an introductory
home meeting well in advance of need and obtain
counseling from a hospice professional that can provide helpful
suggestions on care arrangements. In essence, put the support network in
place before you need it.
With HSWO, it's important to know that we provide
top-quality palliative care and pain
management. Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma offers
resources which exist to provide care for the total person.
Many faith traditions place emphasis on the
importance of conscious preparation for death. This is a way of showing
respect for, and acceptance of, life's final adventure. Contact
with death often gives us an opportunity to become more aware
of spiritual realities. Death is not the opposite of life -- it is the opposite of birth.
The decision to begin hospice care may intensify feelings of grief and
bereavement, both
in the person who is dying and in their loved ones.
Support groups and counseling are available through HSWO, both for the
patient and their families.
One must also work to get their affairs in order.
There are practical issues such as estate
planning and funeral and memorial arrangements.
The decision on how to live when death is approaching is a
difficult one. We must consider the individual who is
facing the journey, his or her loved ones, and the
physician. Often when a patient is told there is no curative
treatment available and that his or her life span is limited,
extreme feelings of fear, isolation, and panic become a reality. Many individuals
are unsure about seeking hospice care, what
to do, who will help, and where to turn. At Hospice of Southwest
Oklahoma, remember, you will not be alone.
** HSWO is a nonprofit, United Way organization
that promotes comprehensive hospice care services for the patient
and their family. We continuously provide community and professional
education to patients, professionals, and the families they
serve in issues relating to care giving, terminal illness, spiritual
comfort, loss and bereavement.
©2004 Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma
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