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Hospice

Writer's picture: Tina CarterTina Carter

For far too many of us hospice seems like a place of despair. For far too many of us the word "hospice" is synonymous with "giving up." Far too many of us have had little (no?) experience with hospice and don't even really understand the basics.


Might I just suggest...calling a local hospice and asking to talk with someone? Listening to a podcast about hospice (perhaps season 1 episode 8 of my podcast available on this website and on Apple and Spotify)?


I find that getting information before you need it is helpful. Hospice does an amazing job of providing support and logistics so that, as you are traveling to the difficult places, they are carrying your luggage. (That is a quote from the great Rev. Ann Brizendine.) I have directly witnessed hospice coming into a nearly impossible situation and making everything better. And I have seen that happen over and over. And, if you are not ready to make those calls here are some basics:

  1. When you enter hospice you can no longer be on active treatment for your disease. However, if you are getting chemo to help alleviate pain that can continue.

  2. Hospice is not a death sentence. The goal of hospice is to help folks be comfortable and achieve the goals they want to tick off before they die.

  3. You can come off hospice. I have seen people improve so much under the caring and gentle hands of hospice that they have recovered their health and have been "kicked off" hospice.

  4. Hospice is not, necessarily, a place. There are hospice organizations that have facilities that can be entered for short term (in rare cases long-term) care. However most hospice organizations enter your home to provide support and care.

  5. Hospice is usually covered by insurance, medicaid or medicare. In some cases non-profit Hospice organizations will provide care to those without any coverage. It is always good to ask.

  6. Hospice will help you get all the equipment you need to live fully. If you need a hospital bed in order to be comfortable they will help arrange that.

  7. Hospice will make the process that happens after death so much easier for your family.

I think that we all fear death. And it is normal to avoid the things that we fear. And, it is also a good and wonderful thing to help our selves and our families be prepared.

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