01. Overview
What Is Mesothelioma Hospice Care?
Mesothelioma hospice care is a service to improve quality of life for people who stop cancer treatment. The main goal of this type of care is to manage physical, emotional and spiritual pain and discomfort. Hospice is tailored to the needs of the patient and supports family members as well.
Beginning hospice care signals a shift away from treating mesothelioma. Hospice patients are ready to focus on being as active and comfortable as possible for the remainder of their lives.
Patients can start hospice when a doctor gives them a six-month prognosis. A prognosis is an estimate. For cancer patients in general, about one-fifth receive hospice care for longer than six months. Doctors can recertify patients who outlive their six-month prognosis.
Medicare covers hospice for eligible patients. You may also be able to use private insurance.
Differences Between Palliative and Hospice Care
Hospice is a type of palliative care. “Palliative” is a general term describing care that relieves symptoms and side effects without directly attacking cancer. It is also known as supportive care. Patients may receive palliative care alongside cancer-fighting treatments. Hospice care involves palliative interventions designed for patients who stop treatment.
Because hospice is a subset of palliative care, they share many similarities. But important differences also exist.
Palliative care is an important part of mesothelioma treatment. Health care for people with cancer is about more than attacking cancer. It is also about managing the pain and stress that can come with cancer and treatment.
02. Benefits
Mesothelioma Hospice Care Benefits
Hospice is meant to provide relief and comfort to mesothelioma patients and their families. Programs aim to guide and ease the physical and emotional processes of dying. They seek to create comfort, community and meaning around the end of a person’s life.
Mesothelioma care teams can answer any questions about hospice care and when it may be the right time to consider it. Starting the conversation early can give you more time to process and plan for this potential future.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
03. Hospice Services
What Does Mesothelioma Hospice Care Do?
Hospice care aims to help patients, families and caregivers manage and process pain, grief and other challenges that come at the end of a person’s life. The exact care program will be different for each patient. Common services include providing medication and medical equipment, caregiver coaching and counseling.
A team of specialists work together to create a holistic approach to care. They provide for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and those around them. The makeup of a team depends on the needs of the mesothelioma patient.
Usually, family or friends are present as caregivers for hospice patients. But hospice staff make regular visits and are on call around the clock.
Physical Care During Hospice
Physical care for hospice takes many forms. Aides, visiting nurses, caregivers and others help take care of physical needs like:
- Aiding with personal hygiene
- Assisting with physical activities
- Caring for pets
- Cooking
- Doing chores
- Managing cancer symptoms
- Providing performance therapy
- Running errands
Performance therapy may include physical, occupational and speech therapy. Services depend on the unique needs of the patient.
Emotional and Spiritual Support During Hospice
Hospice care is more than attending to physical needs and managing physical pain. End-of-life comfort has an emotional aspect, as well as a spiritual one for those who seek spiritual counsel. These aspects apply to both patients and their loved ones.
Emotional and spiritual counsel can help guide people through a topic many of us do not often talk about. Therapists, spiritual and religious counselors and support groups can help:
- Find words to describe your feelings about death and dying
- Guide difficult discussions
- Handle complicated feelings
- Help make plans for patients’ survivors
Spiritual and mental health care may look different for different people. Patients and their loved ones can work with their care team to create a support system to work through difficult feelings and hopefully achieve some level of peace.
Respite Care for Caregivers
It is normal for caregivers to feel stressed and even experience burnout while attending to a hospice patient. Respite care is a service to relieve primary caregivers who need breaks from the difficult work of hospice care. During a respite period, patients may be taken care of at a hospital, hospice facility or other care facility.
For people with Medicare, the program provides for up to five consecutive days of respite care. Caregivers can get respite care more than once.
Ongoing Grief Support
Grief creates another set of needs, which hospice care programs recognize and support. After a mesothelioma cancer patient passes away, families can access counseling, support groups and other bereavement services.
Medicare provides at least 13 months of bereavement care. Non-Medicare hospice programs may provide grief support services for a similar amount of time.
04. Hospice Settings
Where Mesothelioma Hospice Takes Place
Hospice care may be given in a number of locations. Where a person receives it depends on their unique needs and means. Certain types of hospice locations may come with different services. But care at each location works toward the same goal of easing pain, discomfort and emotional distress.
Home Hospice Care
Most people receive hospice care at home or another residence, like a nursing home. At home, caregivers, aides, visiting nurses and other hospice specialists can provide care in a familiar environment. According to one study, 71% of Americans would prefer to die at home.
Home hospice care is often “routine.” This means the patient is receiving hospice care in the form of routine visits from medical care providers and other hospice specialists. If needed, a nurse may serve as the primary at-home caregiver.
Hospital Hospice
Patients may receive hospice care in inpatient facilities when pain management is best addressed through 24-hour care. Inpatient stays may be for all or part of a patient’s hospice program. Examples of inpatient facilities include Medicare-certified hospitals, nursing facilities and dedicated hospice care facilities.
05. Eligibility
Who Is Eligible for Hospice Care?
Hospice care is generally available to patients who meet two conditions:
- A primary care physician and hospice doctor have estimated a life expectancy of six months or less.
- The patient has decided to discontinue cancer treatment to focus solely on quality-of-life interventions.
Medicare covers hospice for eligible patients. Hospice care may also be available through private insurance and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
When Can People Access Hospice Care?
Both Medicare and the VA allow patients to access hospice care as soon as they receive a prognosis of six months or less. Most private insurance companies provide for the same starting point. Doctors can recommend hospice care and provide a referral when they estimate a patient has six months to live.
Despite the prognosis requirement for hospice, the average length of care for all hospice patients is two months. Hospice providers generally believe people start hospice later than they should. This may mean patients aren’t getting the most out of hospice care.
It can be difficult to act on a referral to hospice. But the goal of hospice is not to accelerate the process of dying. It is to address the emotional and physical needs of people with serious illnesses. Patients and families should also feel comfortable bringing up hospice with the patient’s doctor if they wish to discontinue cancer treatment.
Cost of Mesothelioma Hospice Care
Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance cover 100% of hospice care. Most hospice patients do not have any out-of-pocket expenses. Providers may cover a broad range of costs, including:
- Aide services
- Dietary counseling
- Medical equipment
- Medical treatment
- Medication
- Nursing services
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Respite care
- Social services
If you feel you have been wrongly denied a hospice referral, you can reach out to a mesothelioma claims specialist. A specialist can review your case and explain any legal options you may have.
06. Common Questions
Common Questions About Hospice Care for Mesothelioma
- How long do cancer patients live in hospice?
The average length of hospice care is about two months for cancer patients. This is despite mesothelioma patients having access to hospice services for six or more months. Specialists generally agree that people start hospice later than they should.
- What is the role of a caregiver in hospice care?
In hospice situations, caregivers take on a lot of day-to-day care for patients. They may provide personal care, run errands, pick up medications and operate medical equipment. Caregivers should take full advantage of a patient’s hospice team to manage their responsibilities.
- When is it time for hospice with cancer?
It is the policy of Medicare, the VA and most private insurance to provide hospice care coverage when a patient has six months or less to live (regardless of how long they ultimately stay). Providers generally believe people start hospice later than they should.
- Does Medicare cover hospice for cancer?
Medicare may cover all hospice care for mesothelioma patients. Services covered range from aide services to medical equipment purchases and physical therapy. Patients can consult the official Medicare website to learn about the full range of covered costs.
- What can I say to someone in hospice with cancer?
If you are nervous about talking to a person receiving hospice care, you can follow their lead. This may result in conversation, reconciliation and understanding. It may also lead to quiet comfort. If you are worried about a difficult situation, you can consult a therapist or hospice specialist.
Note: This page contains information to help readers during an intense and emotional time in their lives. While specialists recommend starting hospice care when patients become eligible, your emotional well-being comes first. Feel free to keep this tab open, bookmark the page or simply step away for a moment before returning to learn about hospice care options.
