Hospice Care​—What Is the Goal?

“My 94-year-old mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease and heart failure, had become bedridden. She refused to eat and resisted our attempts to awaken her. At the hospital I was told about the ‘altered state of consciousness’ that she was experiencing. I wanted to care for her at home, but I needed help.”​—Jeanne.

Compassionate Care

Hospice personnel recognize the need to preserve patients’ dignity and treat them with respect during all phases of care. Martha, who worked in hospice care for more than 20 years, says: “I came to know the patients, as well as their likes and dislikes, and I tried to help them enjoy to the extent possible their remaining time. I would often feel a great attachment to them, and some I couldn’t help but love. True, some patients with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia would become combative while I was assisting them. They would try to strike, bite, or even kick me. But I always tried to remember that this sort of conduct was not the person. It was the disease.”