HOSPICE CARE

What if Your Loved One Doesn’t Want Hospice?

Your loved one has received a qualifying terminal diagnosis, but is resisting going to hospice. What can you do now? Ultimately, so long as your loved one retains their faculties, it is their decision whether to enter hospice. But there are steps you can take to overcome some of their objections, like listen and inform. Let’s discuss these and other steps you can take in more detail.

1. Listen. First, make sure to actually listen to your loved one about their wants, needs, and concerns. That means taking in what they are telling you with no agenda. Just pay attention, and show them that you are really absorbing what they are trying to communicate.
2. Make sure they are informed and understand. A lot of people are uninformed about what hospice actually entails. For example, your loved one might think that hospice is the same as “being put in a home.” Actually, most hospice care takes place wherever the patient resides at the time. That can even mean their own house. Explain what hospice is and isn’t. Once they understand, they may change their mind. Ask them what their priorities are for the months ahead, and then explain how hospice can help them meet those objectives.
3. Dispel myths about hospice. There are some harmful myths about hospice, like that people start hospice because they are “giving up,” or enter hospice to die. Research shows, however, that people actually live longer on average if they enter hospice. Patients may also worry about who will pay for hospice. Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance are all options.
4. Set up a consultation for your loved one. If your loved one is willing to consider it, think about setting up a consultation for them with hospice professionals. This will give your loved one a chance to ask their questions directly of hospice staff, who can provide them with detailed, informative answers. If they feel reassured by the conversation, they might agree to enter hospice care.
5. Get your loved one emotional support. Sometimes resistance to hospice is not about hospice itself, but about grappling with mortality. A patient may refuse hospice because entering hospice with a terminal diagnosis would “make it real.” What may be most helpful in that scenario would be to ask if your loved one is willing to work with a therapist or a grief counselor. If they receive the support they need to work through their emotions around their terminal diagnosis, they may be more likely to consider entering hospice. They can also receive counseling services directly through hospice after they enter. Grief counseling is available to the family as well.

Get Compassionate Hospice Care in Atlanta

Inspire provides hospice care to patients throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, and works hard to maximize patient autonomy. We respect your loved one’s wishes, and tailor their care to their individual needs. To learn how we can help, please give us a call at (404) 921-3341 to schedule your consultation.