End-of-life Care

Article submitted by Kate Raleigh, Hospice Program Manager for Intermountain Homecare in Salt Lake City. Contact Intermountain Hospice at 801-977-9900 or 1-800-527-1118.

End-of-life care: It's a topic most people don't think about until they're faced with making tough decisions for themselves, or for a loved one. The fact is that most Americans faced with a terminal illness find themselves uneducated or undereducated about their options for care.

Given the choice, most people would prefer to die at home, in a familiar and comfortable setting, surrounded by their family and loved ones. Hospice offers people the opportunity to die a pain free, and dignified death, with comfort and compassion, in their own home.

Hospice care is focused on comfort, not cure. The care provided centers around managing the pain and other symptoms associated with terminal illness. Hospice does not offer the patient more time, but rather helps them make the most of the time they have left.

A team oriented approach, involving physicians, nurses, aides, chaplains, social workers and volunteers ensures that care is focused on the needs of patients and families. In addition to offering physical comfort, the hospice team provides emotional and spiritual support, within the framework of the patient's individual beliefs.

Much of hospice care is focused on addressing the concerns of the family members of the patients, to ensure that they are also prepared physically, emotionally, and spiritually for the loss of their loved one. In addition, hospice providers offer bereavement services to the family members and survivors of the patient for one year following the patient's death.

Hospice is available to any individual with a terminal illness and an expectation of six months or less to live. Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance providers pay for hospice services. If you have questions about hospice or wish to find out how hospice might help you or a loved one with your end-of-life care needs, please contact Intermountain Hospice at (801) 977-9900 or 1-800-527-1118.