Fall 2003 - Hospice of the Rapidan

As mentioned on the first page, a main goal of National Hospice Month is to educate people about end-oflife
issues and hospice care. The first American hospice opened in 1974, and by 2002, 3,200 hospices
across the country cared for 885,000 terminally ill people and their families. But only 25% of the 2.4
million people who die each year do so at home—the rest die in hospitals, often tethered to machines and
enduring painful procedures, so hospice care awareness must increase. Despite growing numbers of
people who use hospice or have at least heard about it, several myths about hospice care remain, which
can be dispelled during National Hospice Month!
Timing is Everything
A common assumption is that a person should be bedridden and in the last few days of life to start
hospice care; or, that a person has to die within six months of entering hospice care. However, Medicare
guidelines specify that a person is eligible for hospice care once a prognosis of six months has been given.
Since a terminal illness does not always have a predictable course, hospice benefits may be extended
beyond the initial six-month certification if the patient continues to meet Medicare guidelines for hospice
qualification Moreover, the person does not have to be homebound, and can still enjoy quality of life in his
or her last months while under hospice care. That’s why we keep saying “it’s about living well until you
die.”
The Doctor is In
Accepting hospice care does not mean that all medical help immediately ceases. Hospice provides relief
from pain when curative efforts are no longer appropriate, and medical procedures such as chemotherapy
and radiation may still be used for comfort purposes. The patient’s own physician
remains in charge, working with the hospice team of nurse, home health aide, social worker, chaplain, and
volunteers to implement a plan of care.
Who’s It For