In this study done at Dana-Farber Cancer institute, patient/caregiver pairs were those of interest. The hospital and a home hospice setting were compared. The doctors that conducted this study were interested in the patients' level of pain, distress, and comfort, as well as that of their caregivers, before and after death. They found that the patients who stayed in the hospital their last days had a lower quality of life in the end. The families and caregivers of the cancer patients in the hospital also had higher levels of distress over the death, and were significantly more likely to develop PTSD or PGD (prolonged grief disorder). Information gathered from this study is not surpising to me, considering the foundation and intent of hospice care. The findings merely validate what I believe, and how I view end of life issues.
It seems reasonable that many of us would like to carry out the last of our days in comfort, surrounded by loved ones, and most likely at home. That is the exact ideal that hospice provides. The palliative care given is to ensure the utmost peace of the dying; it also provides support and understanding for the family. This alternative to aggressive, curative measures is becoming more widespread and accepted in our society. However, there are still patients and families that don't want to stop potentially curative treatment until the very end. Of course I can't blame them; who wants to "give up" on surviving, or trying to save a loved one. However, what this study found really speaks to the benefits of hospice care. The patient is surrounded by love and familiarity, and they, as well as the family, have time to come to terms with death. It provides a sort of closure for all involved. This is turn, as noted by the study, is beneficial to the family members' mental state and the process of coming to terms and moving on. My hope is, for the benefit of the patient and the family, that hospice care will be available and utilized when the time comes.
http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/news/press/2010/death-at-home-less-distressing-for-cancer-patients-and-families.html
