Hospice: What to Expect
In our line of work as funeral directors, we regularly encounter death. Such is not the case for most members of the general public. In fact, many Americans treat the subject with kid gloves, fearful they could bring on their own demise with the mere mention of the word. But if talking about death and spending time around dead bodies could somehow speed up the dying process, the staff at Foothill Funeral & Cremation (and many other mortuaries around the world) would be pushing up daisies. Thankfully, such is not the case. So, as long as we are here looking at the top side of the grass, we count it a privilege to share lessons learned along the way. One is what to expect when it comes to hospice…aka the end of life.
What Hospice Is and Isn’t
Medicare reports that every year, an average 1.43 million people are enrolled in hospice care for at least one day. In fact, 48 percent of Medicare decedents were enrolled in hospice at the time of their deaths. The top five terminal diagnoses which led to such care include:
- Alzheimer’s
- COPD
- Heart Failure
- Lung Cancer
- Senile degeneration of the brain.
Hospice is meant not to cure or prolong life but to improve the last stages of life for each enrolled patient, emotionally, physically and spiritually. In lieu of administering treatments, caregivers and hospital personnel offer symptomatic relief. In other words, if someone has cancer, admission into hospice signals the end of treatments such as chemo, radiation and surgery and moves into the alleviation of associated symptoms, with pain meds and comfort care. Typically, doctors admit patients into hospice if the expected lifespan is six months of less. However, sometimes, patients surprise their doctors, living long after their projected time of death. In some cases, they leave hospice care not by dying but because they inexplicably recover.
What to Expect If Your Loved One Is Placed in Hospice
Contrary to popular belief, hospice is not a physical location but a designation. While each patient is unique, these behaviors typically fall into the following categories:
1-3 Months Before Death
Sleeping and dozing off, eating and drinking less, withdrawing from people and from doing things they once loved, talking less than was once typical.
1-2 Weeks Before Death
Different sleep-wake patterns; little appetite and thirst; fewer bowel movements and urination; more pain; changes in BP, breathing and heart rate; drastic changes in body temperature; increased confusion.
Days or Hours Before Death
Eyes tearing or glazing over; irregular pulse and heartbeat, drop in body temperature; bluish mottled-looking skin on the knees, feet and hands; and gasping for breath.
Time of Death
Your hospice nurse will offer information about what to do in the final hours of your loved one’s passing. They will also provide a packet of information which explains the process which follows death. Hospice organizations deal directly with funeral directors. When they call, we arrange pickup and transport of the remains to our facility and handle administrative tasks such as coordinating with medical personnel and the coroner, when necessary. We also order death certificates and manage the client’s wishes relative to embalming, cremation, burial, memorial and funeral services, etc. Feel free to request that the case manager contact Foothill Funeral & Cremation.
About Foothill Funeral & Cremation in Glendora, California
When the time comes, we would value the opportunity to celebrate your loved one’s life or help you pre-plan a service for yourself. Feel free to contact us now to pre-plan your own memorial or at your time of need (626) 335-0615. Our relationship with United Methodist Church and Sacred Heart provide great places for mourners to host funerals and memorials. You’ll love the grandiose yet intimate settings in both locations. Also, we specialize in helping with burial arrangements. Foothill Funeral proudly serves the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Finally, working in the mortuary industry since 1996, our reputation is one of quality, sincerity and trust. Please allow us to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or contact us via email.
