If you have a loved one with lung cancer, targeted radiation and chemotherapy can add years to their life. However, treatment isn’t always effective in advanced stages. In these instances, hospice care is often recommended by physicians. Learn more about this service in the overview below.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice care focuses on controlling a patient’s symptoms. Services are administered by a team of professionals that might include nurses, home health aides, spiritual advisors, and therapists who work together to provide complete assistance. Care plans are personalized for each patient to meet their unique needs. Depending on your loved one’s health, services can be administered at home or in an inpatient care facility.

Generally, hospice is intended for people who are in the last six months of life and likely won’t benefit from further medical treatment. Many families worry that pursuing this option seems like “giving up,” but it simply means changing the priorities of your loved one’s medical care. Instead of focusing on aggressive treatment, a hospice program keeps the person comfortable through medications and nursing assistance.

What Are Its Benefits for Those With Lung Cancer?

Patients who enter into hospice care tend to experience less physical discomfort and maintain their ability to interact with their loved ones for longer. Many lung cancer patients in hospice survive longer than those receiving traditional treatment, and experience less pain in the last few months of life.

Therefore, their eventual passing is often much more peaceful and less traumatic for the surviving loved ones. The counseling and spiritual support provided will also help your family cope with the loss. 

If you’re looking for hospice care for a loved one, turn to Lifetime Care. With five locations throughout New York, they provide compassionate assistance to patients and families throughout the Finger Lakes region. The level of service they provide has earned them recognition as a Top Agency by HomeCare Elite®. Visit their website for more information on hospice care, or call (585) 214-1000 to discuss your family’s needs.