Misconceptions about hospice
There are a few misconceptions about hospice.
In a series of three articles, I’ll address some of those while explaining the services hospice provides, who it’s for and why Franklin Hospice is a very necessary and important part of health provision for the Franklin community.
More than 18,000 New Zealanders and their families/ whanau, from 103 different ethnic groups received support from a hospice last year.
It isn’t a subject most of us like to think about, let alone talk about, but almost one in three of all who die in New Zealand from any cause receive hospice support.
While we may understand that hospice services are for those who have an incurable illness, many don’t fully understand the type of support hospice can offer. One of the most common misconceptions about hospice is that it is a place that you only need to access when you are near the end of life. This is reflected in a recent Hospice New Zealand report which shows that most patients are only referred to hospice in the last eight weeks of life.
Franklin Hospice is about helping patients and their families/whanau live every moment.
So, we would prefer people talk to us (and their GP) as soon as possible after receiving the dreadful news that their illness is not curable.
The reason we like an early referral is that it gives us the chance to meet and assess patients, understand their specific individual needs and talk with their families.
From contact at this early stage, our team can outline a tailored support plan for all involved.
Perhaps most importantly, we provide a place where patients, family and whanau can contact a palliative care nurse at any time if you have any questions or concerns.
It may well be that initially very little support from hospice is required. But if you are a patient of ours, we can be involved in your ongoing care in partnership with other health professionals, especially your GP, every step of the way.
Another misconception is that hospice is just for those suffering from cancer.
While cancer patients represent the majority of hospice patients in New Zealand (more than 70 per cent of people who die from cancer are supported by hospice), hospice care is available to those who have any life-limiting illness.
The third misconception I’ll address is that hospice is only for the elderly. While hospice services are mostly utilised by adults (children’s palliative care is a highly specialised area), we can and do provide support for all ages.
Most people who use hospice services are aged between 45 and 89 years old.
In the next article, I’ll discuss the services Franklin Hospice offers and after that, I’ll look at the future need of our growing community.
* Ric Odom has been chief executive officer at Franklin Hospice since September 2016. Franklin Hospice is currently running a survey of Franklin residents to better understand what services they would like their community hospice to provide. The surveys are available at a number of businesses throughout Franklin or online at www.surveymonkey.com/ r/CareWell2018.