Compassionate End-of-Life Care and Support Services for Patients Suffering from Cancer
While a cancer patient’s goal is long-term control of the malignancy and a return to health, there may come a time when cancer can no longer be controlled or when the response to treatment is less than hoped for.
Aria Hospice care for cancer patients focuses entirely on quality of life and is designed to address a wide range of issues, including pain, weight loss and progression of other symptoms. Aria Hospice provides the emotional and spiritual support that cancer patients and their loved ones seek, all tailored to the patient’s needs.
When is the Cancer Patient Eligible for Hospice Care?
In oncology, the biggest predictor of hospice eligibility is the patient’s functional status, which is determined by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale or the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS). This is one of the ‘tools’ Aria Hospice uses when determining if the patient is appropriate for hospice care.
Note: Certain cancers with poor prognoses (e.g., small cell lung cancer, brain cancer and pancreatic cancer) may be hospice eligible without fulfilling above criteria section.
Aria Hospice care for cancer patients is a special kind of care that provides comfort, support, and dignity at the end of life, typically when you or your loved one’s life expectancy is six months or less. Aria Hospice believes that hospice care is for the whole person, addressing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs and that hospice care for cancer patients is often described as an approach that treats the patient, not the disease.
When Is the Right Time for Hospice?
Only a doctor can make the clinical determination about a cancer patient’s prognosis. When it becomes six months or less, the patient is considered to have advanced-stage cancer, and can benefit from hospice services. Each patient is different, and symptoms vary according to the kind of cancer they have, but there are a few signs consistent among cancers that commonly mean the disease has progressed to the advanced stage, for example:
Aria Hospice experienced and well-trained interdisciplinary team of hospice nurses, home health aides, homemakers, hospice social workers, hospice spiritual counselors, therapists, bereavement counselors, hospice massage therapists and volunteers are ready to provide services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Aria Hospice recognizes the emotional toll and immense courage it takes to help a loved one who is suffering from a terminal illness like cancer. Call Aria Hospice today to see if hospice care is an appropriate option.
Benefits of Aria Hospice Care for Patients Suffering from Cancer
Pain Management – Patients with cancer often experience pain caused by the progression of the disease. Aria Hospice Team provides comfort care which focuses on relieving pain and maintaining comfort.
Symptom Control – Aria Hospice Care Team regularly assesses each patient’s condition and works with the physician to determine the most effective treatment and medication options to maximize symptom control.
Hospice Care at Home – The goal of hospice care is to support patients by meeting their needs and managing their care at home – wherever they may call home, using holistic approach that includes hospice massages and emotional and spiritual approaches.
Coordinated Care Approach – Hospice care is a team effort. The patient’s family and loved ones are actively involved along with a team of professionals and volunteers. With the help and support of the hospice care team, the patient and their family can attain physical, emotional, and spiritual preparedness for the end of life.
