NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — November is National Homecare and Hospice Month and the holidays are a good time to talk about end of life decisions before there is a health crisis.
"Hopefully, families are having this conversation," said Darla Wilson with Hospice and Homecare of Reno County. "Thanksgiving is actually, frankly, a very good time to do that. As you are talking with each other and how things happen, many families are seeing their parents for the first time in a long time and just kind of bringing up those conversations. What if X happened? What would you want done?"
Keeping the desires of the patient in mind can really increase their quality of life.
"Being open to talk about, what is it you really want," Wilson said. "Not assuming that someone wants to go back to the hospital, that somebody wants to have another treatment, that they want to have this done. They may want to just simply stay home and have that Thanksgiving dinner with their family and enjoy that time."
Hospice care can, at times, not only increase the quality of life, but also the length of time at the end of life.
"Studies show that when someone starts hospice services versus without, often times they live longer, because of hospice," Wilson said. "We're reviewing those medications, getting rid of the meds they don't need, really focusing on what is important to them and getting rid of a lot of that and the extra treatments oftentimes does give them more time. It may be short, but it's better time and it truly is longer."
If you have questions, feel free to call Hospice and Homecare of Reno County at (620) 665-2473.