Dealing with an incurable disease, taking medications, or undergoing treatments no longer working can be difficult and costly. If your loved one is in a similar situation, their doctor can make a referral for hospice care or end-of-life care.
Just like any other industry, the hospice industry has been affected by the global pandemic. It created new challenges for hospice professionals.
What Is the State of the Hospice Industry before the Pandemic?
Hospice is known as the care offered to people with terminal illnesses. It’s a means to manage their symptoms and the last months of their life. While it can seem like a person is giving up, the service simply provides them with compassionate care. It focuses on addressing their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs as they live out their last days to the fullest.
Aside from offering support for patients, it also gives the help that their family members need. For example, if you are responsible for taking care of your loved one, you can get support in the form of respite care. Inpatient care and at-home hospice care are available, which means the patient has the option to enjoy their remaining days in their chosen place. You can also receive assistance in processing grief and being connected with bereavement services after your loved one passes away.
How Did Pandemic Affected Hospice Care?
Many patients and their loved ones used hospice care to address their needs. However, since this global pandemic demands social distancing and isolation, care centers struggle to provide terminally ill patients and their families with emotional comfort and high-quality care.
Some hospitals are overrun, while other assisted living facilities are on lockdown. Still, they try to keep their operations going and maintain their cash flow and supplies while ensuring the patients’ and staff members’ safety.
Most hospitals don’t allow outside visitors to reduce the risk of infection. When this happens, patients who failed to transition to at-home care will pass with only the staff members by their side.
What Is the Future for Hospice Care?
As the world adapts to the new normal, hospice providers can manage this crisis to navigate the current reality. It prompted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to announce that hospice professionals can use telehealth services over in-person care. While this option takes away the caring touch that hospice is known for, it provides patients, families, and hospice workers with the care and comfort they need with reduced risk of the virus.
Also, the hospice landscape can adapt, particularly with their operations and referrals. They can expand their supply networks and use group purchasing with other facilities to continue providing exceptional care for patients.
Atlanta Hospice Care: Golden Rule Hospice
If your loved one has a terminal illness and exhausted all their treatment options, hospice care can help them maximize their comfort, reduce their pain, and address their needs. Coming into terms that they are nearing the end of their life is difficult, especially during the pandemic when being beside them is challenging due to strict safety protocols. While no one knows what the future holds for the hospice industry, you can have peace of mind knowing your family member or friend is safe by reaching out to a reputable hospice provider like us.
Golden Rule Hospice provides reliable hospice care in Atlanta. We offer psychological, spiritual, and social services and nursing care to improve our patients’ quality of life. Contact us at (470) 395-6567 to refer a loved one or schedule a consultation today!