How Does Hospice Help Families?

Hospice care is about much more than helping the patient. In fact, thousands of families across the country may be unaware of the many benefits that hospice can offer them.

Whether through grief counseling, helping with funeral arrangements, or by simply enabling the caregiver to have a break, hospice services care for the whole family.

Don’t let these services be forgotten! After all, this type of comprehensive care is at the very heart of what hospices do.

We’ll take a closer look at a few of the ways hospice helps the entire family.

Does Hospice Help the Family?

Yes! And we’ve outlined 6 ways hospice makes a difference in the lives of the families it touches.

1. Hospice gives families access to extensive resources.

When someone you love enters hospice care, the entire hospice team works with you. This team includes doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains.

These team members help prepare you for issues you face as your loved one’s disease progresses. Medical professionals will provide sound and useful advice that will help you and your family as they make difficult but important choices.

Often, hospice workers will know of local organizations and resources that can help you, particularly if your loved one is a veteran.

Hospice social workers will help you get in touch with those who can guide your loved one through the process of applying for federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

While it is not required to have an Advance Directive in order to enter hospice care, the professionals who provide hospice care can help your loved one establish one if he or she desires.

What is an advance directive?

An advance directive is a legal document that dictates what type of medical care is desired if someone is too sick to express his or her wishes. This provides needed information to family and health care workers.

Bereavement care, also called grief support, helps you cope with the intense emotions and feelings that accompany death.

2. Hospices offer bereavement care to families.

When someone you love dies, it is a devastating experience.

It’s not unusual for families to experience depression, denial, guilt and even anger when they lose someone dear to them. These are powerful feelings that are difficult to accept and process.

What is bereavement care?

Bereavement care, also called grief support, helps you cope with the intense emotions and feelings that accompany death.

Through bereavement care, different hospices across the country offer programs such camps for children affected by the loss of a loved one.

3. Hospices offer grief support.

Losing someone who is close to you is devastating. During these times, it often helps to share your feelings and thoughts with others who have experienced similar losses.

Many hospices facilitate grief support groups that can provide a safe environment for healing to take place. They may also provide individual grief counseling.

4. Hospices offer spiritual comfort.

While hospice is not a religious organization, hospices recognize the importance that faith and religion have in daily life.

Often, this spirituality becomes very important when someone you love is facing a life-threatening illness.

Hospices offer the services of specially trained chaplains to help by providing support to both patients and their families.

5. Hospice volunteers provide companionship.

They also allow caregivers to take a break.

When you’re caring for someone with a life-limiting illness, even the smallest break matters a lot.

Specially trained volunteers can spend time with patients allowing caregivers a chance to rest.

6. Hospices offer assistance with funeral arrangements.

Grief can make you feel numb, unable to perform even the simplest task, and it is at these times that it’s good to have an encouraging advocate in your corner who can walk you through the process of arranging a funeral.

Learn More About Services Offered by Hospice

There are several benefits that hospice offers both patients and families. Sadly, many Americans fail to take advantage of them.

For example, did you know that hospice has special programs that cater to the unique needs of veterans? Were you aware that they offer special programs for children who have lost a loved one?

Hospice Wise has compiled an extensive array of information to help you better understand the work that hospices do and how you and your loved one can benefit.