One of the biggest misconceptions is a belief that by choosing hospice meaning giving up hope. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Hospice provides hope by giving patients a chance to live their lives without being incapacitated by pain and by providing caregivers the support they need, by helping them manage the various aspects of a prolonged and life-limiting illness so family members can more fully enjoy the time with their loved ones.
Hospice care is not only for bedridden patients. People with life-limiting illnesses may never be able to do things they once did. Hospice Care provides proper pain and symptom management allowing patients to enjoy a much better quality of life.
A misconception that hospice care runs out after six month arises from Medicare hospice guidelines, which state that a hospice patient must be certified has having six months or less to live. In fact, patients may choose to receive care as long as they continue to meet the medical criteria.
Hospice is a choice; it doesn’t mean that hospice patients can’t resume traditional medical care if they choose to do so.