Demystifying hospice : inside the stories of patients and caregivers
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"People often do not avail themselves of hospice care available to patients and families dealing with terminal illness, because they don't understand what it entails. Many wait until their last few days to request this extraordinary comfort care instead of using the full six months available to them through Medicare and other insurance options. Demystifying Hospice describes, through stories, good news about end-of-life issues. Written from the perspective of a licensed social worker with experience in public and private hospitals, hospice, and the American Cancer Society, these firsthand accounts of patients, family members, hospice workers, and others will lift spirits, touch hearts, and illustrate the advantages of hospice care. These are real-life examples of personalized comfort care offered by an interdisciplinary team wherever the patient lives. Each story addresses some aspect of helping families through the caregiving and grieving processes, which are part and parcel of coping with a serious illness, and offers comfort and understanding to readers who may be going through similar experiences"--,Provided by publisher.