A hospice is a medical facility that offers end-of-life care to those with a terminal illness or condition. Hospice facilities provide the best medical care for as long as possible. They also serve individuals with conditions that cause high levels of pain that are difficult to treat. Through mesothelioma hospice care, patients can receive low-cost mediations, 24/7 access to nursing care, and help from social workers.
Why Might Someone With Mesothelioma Need Hospice Care?
Someone with mesothelioma might require hospice care if they are reaching the end of life. Mesothelioma hospice care is also a good option if a patient has gone through different treatments to manage pain and they have not been successful.
While some might think that moving to mesothelioma hospice care means a patient will die soon, this is not necessarily true. A hospice stay simply means that the goals of the mesothelioma treatments are changing.
The main goals of a hospital stay are to keep patients alive longer and treat as much of their disease, if possible. Hospice care is different from a regular hospital stay in that the type of care provided is geared toward making patients comfortable.
Benefits of Mesothelioma Hospice Care
If you’re just learning about mesothelioma hospice care, you might not know all of the important services it can provide. Learn about some of the best benefits below.
Medications
In a hospice facility, mesothelioma patients have their medications ordered, paid for, and delivered directly to them. This takes the stress of having to order medications off the patient and their family.
In some cases, it may be more affordable for patients to access these medications through hospice than if they were to buy them on their own.
Social Workers
Social workers are often an important resource for those who are facing cancer. Being diagnosed with mesothelioma can be overwhelming for both patients and their families. Social workers can help patients deal with grief and other difficult emotions and provide them with the tools they need to move forward.
Social workers at hospice facilities play a number of roles:
- They can help mesothelioma patients with logistics, such as traveling from the facility to visit family or helping arrange family visits at the facility.
- Social workers can also serve as grief counselors, helping those with mesothelioma address their mental health. They even lead mesothelioma support groups with patients and their families.
- They can serve as important advocates for the mesothelioma patient’s needs, connecting them with other local resources to help them battle their cancer and manage pain.
24/7 Care
Mesothelioma hospice staff members are on call no matter what time of day to assist with a patient’s medical needs. That means that a mesothelioma patient at a hospice facility can get medical care immediately, even in the middle of the night. Other health care options, such as at-home nurses, may not provide this benefit.
One of the biggest sources of stress for mesothelioma patients is not knowing if medical care will be available when they urgently need it. Hospice facilities remove this concern by providing patients with access to nurses and doctors at any time of day or night.
Finding Mesothelioma Hospice Care Options for Patients
Mesothelioma patients can find hospice care options in their area by talking to their current physician and health insurer. Doctors have a list of reputable hospice care facilities that patients can trust. Insurers can also provide key information on hospice care facilities.
Most insurance policies — including Medicare and Medicaid — cover hospice care.
You’ll want to talk with a doctor and hospice staff to see if you or your loved one can benefit from mesothelioma hospice care. Not every patient is a candidate for hospice care, as some have a better mesothelioma prognosis (patient outlook) if they are diagnosed before the cancer has spread.
Further, as you’re considering a hospice facility, make sure that you talk to some of the patients or their family members. You want to get a sense of what to expect at the facility from the people who know it best. You also might ask for a tour of the facility beforehand as well.
Learn More About Mesothelioma Hospice Care Options
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is important to recognize there are hospice care options available to you. You can learn more about mesothelioma hospice care options and other medical services by contacting our team today.
One of our caring Patient Advocates can provide you with more information about medical care options for mesothelioma, including hospice, and how to afford them. Learn more with a free case review.
