Myths around hospice and palliative care

Saturday (October 8) marks World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. The world was asked to stop for a moment and reflect on what Hospice and palliative care really mean.

“There are a lot of myths or misconceptions around Hospice and palliative care,” says Jonquil Siepman, marketing and media liaison for Hospice East Rand, “And we aim to dispel these for the benefit of our community”.

These myths include:
• MYTH: I’ve given up when I reach out to Hospice.

FACT: Palliative care and Hospice are not about giving up. It’s about living as fully as possible with your condition.

You can have palliative care while you are undergoing treatments. Palliative care can help you cope with aggressive treatments by getting your pain and symptoms under control to help you fight the disease.

• MYTH: Hospice is a building patients go to spend their final days.

FACT: Hospice focuses on enhancing the quality of life and 90% of the care provided is home-based.

• MYTH: Receiving palliative care means I am dying.

FACT: No. The principal aim of palliative care is to control pain and other symptoms so that the patient can remain as comfortable as possible and enjoy a good quality of life as much as their illness will let them. The philosophy of

Hospice is to affirm life. We regard death as a normal process and we neither hasten nor postpone death.

• MYTH: I can only receive palliative care in a hospital.

FACT: Palliative care services are offered wherever the patient is. It can be in many places such as at home, at work, in hospitals, correctional services, doctors’ rooms, primary healthcare clinics, care facilities and Hospice inpatient units. Hospice East Rand provides palliative care in the comfort of a patient’s home.

• MYTH: I can become addicted to my pain medication.

FACT: Addiction to medication prescribed for pain relief is a common fear but does not frequently occur. Palliative doctors are experts in preventing problems and side effects of strong pain medications. They also can help patients with addictions get pain relief.

• MYTH: Pain medicine can hasten my death.

FACT: Appropriately prescribed medicine will not hasten death. Your palliative doctor has the expertise to devise a medication plan that makes you comfortable and safe.

• MYTH: Palliative care is just for seniors.

FACT: Palliative care is provided to people of all ages – from infancy to adulthood. Adults also die in their prime and we need to make sure they and their families are properly supported and prepared for the end of life, no matter their age.

• MYTH: Palliative care is for a patient only.

FACT: Palliative care takes a holistic approach addressing medical, psychological and spiritual requirements. Our team comprises a palliative doctor, nursing sisters and social workers who provide holistic treatment and support for both the patient and their family members.

Hospice East Rand can be contacted at 011 422 1531 or email intake@hospiceeastrand.co.za or via the website www.hospiceeastrand.co.za