What are the overall benefits of hospice care?
If you or a loved one is facing a life-limiting illness, you may have heard the term hospice. Friends or family might have told you about the specialized medical care for patients or the support services for loved ones. But most people are unaware of the many other benefits of hospice.
VITAS offer comfort. Our services are specially designed to meet the unique needs of seriously ill people who wish to stay in the comfort of home, whether that’s a house, nursing home or assisted living community. We work with patients and families to give them the support and resources to assist them through this challenging chapter of life and help them to stay in comfortable and familiar surroundings.
VITAS offers personal attention. When our VITAS team members work with a patient or family, they become participants in the end-of-life process, which is a most personal experience for any individual. Our mission is to care for each person in the manner that he or she wishes. We listen to patients and loved ones. We advocate for them. We work to improve your quality of life.
VITAS reduces rehospitalization. In the last months of life, some people who are seriously ill make frequent trips to the emergency room; others endure repeated hospitalization. Hospice care is proven to reduce rehospitalization. A study of terminally ill residents in nursing homes shows that residents enrolled in hospice are much less likely to be hospitalized in the final 30 days of life than those not enrolled in hospice (24% vs. 44%)1
VITAS offer security. One of the greatest benefits of hospice is the security that comes from knowing that medical support is available whenever you need it. The VITAS Telecare program provides you with healthcare support around-the-clock. Help is simply a phone call away. What’s more, VITAS gives families the training, resources and support they need and desire so they are personally able to give their ailing loved one the tender care they deserve.
1 Miller SC, Gozalo P, Mor V. Hospice enrollment and hospitalization of dying nursing home patients. American Journal of Medicine 2001;111(1):38-44.
Hospice care for people with cancer
When is the right time to ask about hospice?
What can VITAS do for a person with cancer?
What can VITAS do for the family or loved ones of a person with cancer?
How can I approach the hospice discussion with my loved one(s)?