Palliative Care-Home Vs. Hospital

For many people the end is coming sooner then perhaps they had planned for and when you are diagnosed with an incurable illness or disease you will have some tough decisions to make. In general, most people don't like hospitals and they find just going into one to visit a sick relative anything less than comfortable.

Palliative care has options to help those that need comfort rather than a cure. If there is no chance of regaining health then having a treatment that is simply focused on keeping the patient comfortable until the end is necessary. For many cancer patients this is exactly what they need when the end is near. This type of care makes the end care easier to deal with for the patient as well as the family.

Of course, many people assume that they will finish out their days in a hospital setting but for those who have loved ones and family members to care for them there is a significant decision to be made. This decision is one to die at home in their own bed surrounded by those they love. Doing this requires quite a bit of the family members and friends who are caring for them, however, and many people don't realize how difficult and strenuous this type of care can be on the caregivers.

While staying at home and being cared for by loved ones may be easiest on the patient if the illness drags out then it will probably become difficult on those providing the care especially if they have other responsibilities during this period of time such as jobs and families. Fortunately hospice care can help to not only provide the patient with what they need to stay feeling comfortable but they can also provide volunteers to help stay with the patient and provide some of the care at home as well.

When someone is stuck in the hospital it can be uncomfortable and feel very impersonal. It does however offer all of the resources that could possibly be needed. There is the staff that can take care of all of the discomforting personal care issues as well as expert care. Some things can be pretty hard to deal with at home because of the limited resources. It is a decision that needs to be carefully considered if you ever find yourself in that position.