Hospice care is just one of the many options that are available to help you care for your loved one in the final weeks and days of their life. While many caregivers and patients will benefit greatly from the use of hospice services, these services may not be right for everyone. Taking the time to explore the pros and cons associated with this end-of-life care option can help you to determine whether or not it is the right choice for you and your loved one.

The Pros

There are many unique and impressive benefits that come along with the decision to use hospice care to help your loved one through the final stages of life. These benefits include:

1. The Comforts Of Home - Hospice care is typically provided in the home. For many patients, the ability to spend their final days in their home or the home of a loved one will bring comfort that no nursing home or hospital setting can provide.
2. Personalized Service - The nurses, social workers, and other caregivers that work as part of your loved one's hospice team will provide a personal level of service that ensures both you and your loved one get the necessary attention you deserve during this difficult time.
3. Bereavement Counseling - After your loved one has passed, the services provided by a hospice program will not end. Instead, the same professionals that helped your loved one through the final days of their life will also be there to help you through the first days and weeks of your life after your loved one's passing.

The Cons

There are also some disadvantages that come along with choosing hospice care. These disadvantages include:

1. Limited Medical Care - Hospice care is provided to terminally ill patients who are not looking for a cure to their illness. Since the primary focus of these services is to provide comfort to patients in the final months of their life, limited medial care will be available to help these individuals treat the illness that will ultimately result in their death. This can be a serious disadvantage for patients who still wish to fight back against the illness that threatens to take their life.
2. Accepting Mortality - The use of hospice care can often make a seemingly surreal situation far more real. For many people, this means accepting both the mortality of their loved ones and their own mortality. This can be an emotionally overwhelming experience for some people.

The Bottom Line

Only you and your loved one can determine which level of care is right for them. While some patients and caregivers will find comfort in knowing that the final days of life will be spent together in a loving home, others will find this in-home care to be emotionally overwhelming. To discuss the pros and cons of these services further or to further explore how these features apply specifically to your loved one's current situation, be sure to contact a reputable hospice program like Comfort Keepers #374 Marysville in your local area to schedule a face-to-face consultation.