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Mesothelioma and Hospice

For more than 40 years, hospice has provided compassionate care for patients whose illnesses have stopped responding to treatment. Hospice is designed to offer physician and nursing services, pain management, medical appliances and supplies, dietary counseling and spiritual support for patients who are dying. Because the typical life expectancy for mesothelioma is less than a year, hospice care is an option for many mesothelioma patients whose illness is beyond the curable stage.

Mesothelioma patients and their families may consider hospice after their medical team predicts the cancer is terminal. As a patient, choosing hospice does not mean giving up. As a caregiver, it does not mean abandoning a loved one. From the beginning of their treatment, mesothelioma patients require specialized medical attention, and hospice can relieve some of the stress of caregiving and ensure that a patient receives optimal end-of-life care. Because mesothelioma is resistant to treatment, compassionate palliative care can bring relief to the patient and to loved ones.

More details about hospice and other elements of caregiving and treatment for mesothelioma patients can be found in The Mesothelioma Center's free, comprehensive informational packet. The packet is available through the mail for anyone that fills out this form.

What can Hospice do for Mesothelioma Patients?

Mesothelioma often weakens several major bodily systems. The respiratory system is typically most heavily affected, and many patients experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Hospice workers know about specific positioning techniques and how they can help a patient stand, sit or lay in a way that would optimize airflow and are trained to help patients transition into these positions.

A compromised digestive system may make it difficult for a mesothelioma patient to intake adequate nutrients and fluids. Hospice teams can create customized plans to ensure patients are appropriately nourished and hydrated. Hygienic needs can also be addressed by the nurses at a hospice facility.

Hospice workers may administer additional medications to help reduce the pain caused by late-stage mesothelioma. Because of its ability to reduce breathing stress for patients with lung diseases, morphine is commonly prescribed to pleural mesothelioma patients. Hospice can also offer alternative painkillers to reduce other mesothelioma-related discomfort. Hospice workers are allowed to review the medications a patient is taking to determine the most appropriate way to control pain.

Hospice care also extends beyond a physical aspect and incorporates emotional, social and spiritual support when requested. Support groups are open to the patients and their families, while counselors can help a patient and loved ones come to terms with the realities of a terminal disease. Hospice workers can help with end-of-life arrangements such as wills and advance directives like do-not-resuscitate orders, and they also offer non-denominational spiritual counsel for patients who wish to participate. If a patient passes away while in hospice, the program continues to offer support groups, counseling and bereavement services to the family for an extended period.

How do I Enter Hospice?

If you are a mesothelioma patient with a prognosis of less than six months and have discussed the hospice option with your family and medical team, you may initiate the process to enter hospice by asking your doctor for a referral. Some doctors will suggest the program to the patients when their clinical symptoms and progress indicate that it would be the most beneficial mode of care. For patients with terminal mesothelioma, an oncologist can sign the necessary paperwork indicating that the patient's condition makes them eligible for admission to hospice.

In 2006, more than 965,000 hospice patients were granted access to their care through Medicare, but other insurance companies may also contribute to the out-of-pocket cost for the program. Additional financial assistance options may be available to mesothelioma patients seeking hospice care, and you can learn more about these venues by requesting a free informational packet from the Mesothelioma Center.

Depending on your location, you may have multiple choices for where to receive your hospice care. Mesothelioma patients may be treated on either an inpatient or outpatient basis. Outpatient hospice care offers the traditional hospice services in the comfort of the patient's own home, while inpatient care is given to patients at residential facilities, nursing homes or specific hospice communities.

There are more than 4,700 hospice programs in the United States, many of which are certified by Medicare as upholding specific standards of care. With so many options, you will want to discuss the care you can obtain from a program with their medical director or admissions department. Be sure to ask about their experience with mesothelioma patients; just like choosing a mesothelioma doctor, you will want to choose a hospice facility that is familiar with the complex aspects of caring for someone with your condition.

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