When is hospice appropriate?
“If only we had known how good this would be, we would have called Hospice of Chattanooga sooner.” It truly is the one statement we hear over and over again. What happens way too often is that people think hospice is only for final hours or days, which it should not be. The hospice benefit can be for months, and the quality of life provided for the patient is why we hear the statement we shared. Too many people wait too late to benefit from all the help we can offer you and your loved ones.
Many people think that choosing hospice is giving up on life when, in fact, it is taking a step to make sure that pain and symptoms are controlled and life is lived as you want it to be. Talk to your doctor about symptoms and a prognosis and don’t be afraid to talk about hospice as a part of your care plan.
Call the Hospice of Chattanooga main telephone number at (423) 892-1533 today to learn more about the family-focused care provided by our agency. You should not do this alone.
Here are some symptoms that your loved one may be facing that may lead to a discussion about hospice care:
Your loved one grows weaker each day.
Your loved one is losing physical abilities.
Your loved one visits the hospital more frequently and those hospital stays last longer.
Your loved one is losing weight quickly.
What used to be simple is difficult—like eating, bathing and walking.