Some of you may see this differently—and that’s okay. I’m simply offering another way to think about this subject.
I don’t believe that choosing to remain “full code” aligns with the purpose of Hospice care. When that is the goal, palliative care may be the more appropriate path.
Having hospice teams perform CPR goes against what hospice is designed to do—guide, educate, and support a natural Dying process.
Palliative care supports people receiving treatments, even though treatments may be not be life prolonging.
Both hospice and palliative care support the person where they are in their life journey. Each has its place in the medical arena. They simply serve different purposes.
Palliative care often accompanies ongoing medical treatment.
Hospice is directed to comfort and support quality of life during the dying process.
No one is required to choose hospice. But when a person does, they are choosing support for a natural death with care that centers on comfort, guidance, and support for both the patient and their caregivers.
Medical care is focused on cure.
Palliative care is for those who are pursuing a cure.
Hospice care is not curative. It is comfort care.
Everything hospice does is meant to support the natural dying process of the patient with comfort. The focus is not on stopping death, but on easing the path toward it with dignity.
Something more…
If you are caring for someone at the end of life, either in palliative or hospice care, you don’t have to figure it out alone. By Your Side provides guidance on what to expect and how to care for your special person.
Originally Published on https://bkbooks.com/blogs/something-to-think-about
