Hospice care is used when a person’s illness progresses past the point of control or recovery. Hospice care usually begins when the person is expected to live another six months or less. Treatment has to discontinue, or the side effects are more significant than expected.
Hospice care teams can help with maintaining the quality of life for older patients suffering from the symptoms of serious illnesses.
It is essential to understand that hospice care is provided to patients with terminal, progressive diseases and conditions, among which the following major groups stand out:
- The disease is incurable (prognosis ≤ 6 months); Most often, it is the presence of severe (mostly stage 4) cancer, confirmed by medical documents of the referring institution;
- The presence of pain syndrome cannot be resolved at home and documented by a medical facility. ( ≤ 3 hospitalizations or emergency room visits);
- The presence of socio-psychological indications (depression, conflict situations at home, inability to care for the patient);
- Severe irreversible consequences of trauma, the need for symptomatic treatment and care in the provision of medical care; Degenerative diseases of the nervous system in the advanced stages of the disease;
Receiving hospice care only with a certificate confirming the diagnosis is possible. Also, data on laboratory and instrumental examinations, which ensure the patient’s condition, are attached to the documents.