Hospice, of course, is different than hospital. People go to hospitals,
generally, in search of a cure. People go to hospice when there’s no hope of a
cure, so they can die in a comfortable, homier atmosphere.
Palliative care, in a
very real way, helps ease the process of dying…which, of course, is a part of
life. It doesn’t postpone death, by causing people to linger with untreatable
illness. But it doesn’t hasten it, either.
Palliative care in a
hospice setting usually involves a team of specialists, ranging from doctors to
clergy, to treat to treat pain and its symptoms, and to provide a psychological
or emotional approach when warranted. And it works; most families who
experience the death of a loved on in hospice say it’s better than passing away
in a hospital.
Yet, many people don’t take advantage of hospice – even though it’s
paid for by Medicare.
We often tend to think of
a loved one’s death as the worst thing that could happen. But I would suggest
that there’s one thing even worse – a loved one dying badly. What do we mean by
“badly?”
According to Dr. Ira
Byock, director of Palliative Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in
New Hampshire, dying badly is “Dying while suffering, dying connected to
machines.” Dr. Byock believes that, if we deny an imminent death, we can become
delusional, and can start acting in ways that can actually harm our loved one.
These are very difficult
questions. But we can help.
At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we practice
Elder Law. Over the past 33 years, we’ve helped thousands of South Florida
families answer these questions. And we’ve helped them prepare in advance for
these questions, as well, with comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts,
powers of attorney, long-term care planning, asset protection plans, and
assistance with Medicaid or the VA.
We can help you find your answers. And we’re just a phone
call away.
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