Hospice is a wonderful end-of-life service. It’s the difference between your loved one spending their last months on this earth comfortably and joyfully or full of apprehension and discomfort. The reason why some don’t choose hospice is because of the many misconceptions that surround it. Below, we dispel these myths about hospice and provide the facts. Once you learn the truth, you’ll understand why hospice is the right choice for end-of-life care. And when you choose VNA Hospice, you choose the best.
Myth: Hospice is a place.
Fact: Hospice care usually takes place in the comfort of your home but can be provided in any environment in which you live, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and when care can no longer be managed at home (and if you live locally), the VNA Hospice House.
Myth: Hospice means that the patient will soon die.
Fact: Receiving hospice care does not mean you’re giving up hope or that death is imminent. The earlier an individual receives hospice care, the more opportunity there is to stabilize the medical condition and address other needs. Some patients actually improve while on hospice and may be discharged from hospice care.
Myth: Hospice care starts a few days before death.
Fact: Hospice is not just for the last few days or weeks of life. The benefit is designed to provide care for six months, or longer. For most people, it is a relief to find that there is another source of help and support. Hospice care, at any stage of the illness — but particularly early on — can significantly lighten the burden for both the patient and family.
Myth: Families have to pay for hospice care.
Fact: Hospice care is a Medicare benefit. Most private insurers also cover hospice care as well. Some hospices have a charity program, which helps to care for all patients, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.
Myth: Hospice is only for cancer patients.
Fact: Hospice care is for any person with a life-limiting illness. A large number of hospice patients have congestive heart failure, dementia, chronic lung disease or other life-limiting conditions.
Myth: Hospice is just for the patient.
Fact: Hospice not only focuses on the comfort, dignity and emotional support of the patient, but their family members as well, including anyone the patient identifies as a caregiver. This is a priority of VNA Hospice.
As Indian River County’s only non-profit hospice, VNA Hospice stands apart because its mission has never been driven by profit — but by people. For nearly 50 years, the VNA has ensured that compassionate end-of-life care is available to everyone, regardless of diagnosis or ability to pay. When care can no longer be managed at home, the VNA Hospice House serves as a critical community resource, providing round-the-clock medical care, comfort, dignity, and emotional support in a peaceful, home-like setting for patients and their families. It is a place where no one faces the end of life alone. That commitment, rooted in community support and sustained by generations of volunteers, donors, and partners, is why the VNA has endured since 1975. It is not simply a provider of hospice care, it is a trusted neighbor, woven into the fabric of Indian River County, and a lasting promise that compassionate care will always be here when it is needed most.
This information is for educational purposes. Please consult your physician regarding any medical issues. The Visiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast (VNA) is committed to bringing trusted and quality home health, private care and hospice to Indian River County patients. For more information about VNA services, call 772-567-5551 or visit www.vnatc.com.
