Hospice gets such a bad rap sometimes. In 2018, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) found that 1.55m people in the United States utilized hospice care. However, of those people, it seems that for one amazing experience, there are four others who are opposed to it, or don’t utilize it, due to ‘myths’ surrounding hospice care. The reality is, hospice is not as scary as you think. In fact, hospice and palliative care is specifically designed for the patient and family (more on this in a bit) to feel empowered, and provide dignity, at the end of life letting the patient and family choose how they would like to spend the last leg of their journey—would you like to die at home (51.5% in 2018)? In a facility (29.7%)? Hospice allows you to choose. Hospice and palliative care is dignifying, and can be freeing for some. Hospice focuses on caring, not curing. Below are my three “favorite” myths, and some realities about those myths. Stats can be found either in the NHPCO’s 2020 report of facts and figures or Naomi Naierman’s 1998 article Debunking the Myths of Hospice.

Myth one: Hospice is only for cancer patients.
In 2020, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) released a facts and figures report on hospice care in America. Their finds showed that the three leading principal diagnosis of hospice patients were: cancer (29.6%), circulatory/heart disease (17.4%), and dementia (15.6%). Hospice is not only for hospice patients. When she was on Beacon of Hope’s service, my grandmother’s diagnosis was Alzheimer’s disease. There are patients with protein calorie malnutrition, end stage kidney disease, etc. Cancer may lead as a primary diagnosis, but if you or someone you know has a terminal, non-cancer disease, you may be able to benefit from hospice care as well.

Myth 2: Hospice is only for old people.
Here’s where, rather than defining an age at which point someone is old’, I’ll let you (the reader) determine that by giving some numbers. While it is true that, generally, most hospice patients are past the age of retirement, there is a significant number of patients who are under that bar. NHPCO’s 2018 numbers show that 16.3% (of the 1.55m people in hospice care) were under the age of 65; 22.3% between 65-74; 75-84 year olds made up 28%; and those older than 85 were 33% of the hospice patients. So, yes, it skews more heavily towards the ‘old of day with hair of grey’ population, but it is not just for them. Beacon of Hope has had patients as young as 19 and as old as 100+ utilize our services. There is an entire section of hospice care dedicated solely to pediatrics (from birth-young adult). Long short: it’s fair to say mostly used by ‘older’ people, but it’s not only for.

Myth 3: Hospice is expensive/we can’t afford it.
You know when you look at a paycheck and you see all this money taken out for state taxes, federal taxes, etc.? One of the deductions is for Medicare and Medicaid. As a 31yr old, I don’t know much about Medicare, but I do know that Medicare covers hospice care 100%. What does that mean? It means you’re paying into a service that can provide you comfort at the end of life. It means you’re paying into a quality of life that has nurses, health aides, social workers, chaplains/spiritual care, volunteers, and bereavement/grief services—an entire TEAM of people who are dedicated to serving you and your loved ones with companionship, showering, light house keeping, prayer, etc. You don’t have to go through the end of life worried about how you’ll care for your person. You pay into it, you should use it.

I don’t believe hospice to be a service for when there is no hope. I believe it’s the opposite. Hospice is a place where there is hope in abundance. Hope for a quality of life free from struggling to juggle your own care and the care of your loved one. Hope for spending time quality time with the ones who mean the most to you. Hope for comfort and peace as we transition from this life to the life after death.

If you want to know more about how my company, Beacon of Hope Hospice, can help you care for you or your loved one, go to www.bohhospice.org or call our Galesburg office at (309)-760-0466 or our Davenport office (563)-391-6933