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What Is Compassionate Care?

Compassionate care is medical and emotional care for patients with terminal diseases in order to make their lives more comfortable when treatment proves futile. It is also referred to as hospice care and generally takes place in a patient's home. Compassionate care provides private medical treatment as well as emotional support to help patients cope with the final stages of life.

  1. Medical Treatment

    • Compassionate care consists of medical treatment to improve the quality of life of terminally ill patients. Nurses and physicians work to lessen any pain and to make specific symptoms more manageable. They provide medication, oxygen machines or any other necessary medical supplies needed to care for patients in their homes or chosen hospice settings. In the event of a medical crisis, a patient may possibly be moved to a hospital, but compassionate care focuses on doing everything possible to keep medical treatment in a patient's chosen environment.

    Spiritual Counseling

    • Spiritual counseling is a major component that separates compassionate care from traditional hospital care, which treats mainly medical issues in patients. According to the Indiana University School of Medicine's study of compassionate care, patients with terminal illnesses may experience spiritual concerns, such as questioning their lives or an afterlife. Compassionate care focuses on providing patients with religious and spiritual counseling to guide them through their questions or fears and to provide comfort in their final days.

    Psychological Support

    • Compassionate care provides a number of psychological support services to help patients cope with their lives ending. According to the Compassionate Care Hospice Organization, terminally ill patients may suffer feelings of grief, anxiety, anger or depression, as well as struggle with guilt that they are burdening their families. Compassionate care arranges individual counseling sessions with qualified psychologists and offers patient support groups. After patients pass away, hospice centers also offer grief counseling for their families.

    Benefits

    • The Indiana University School of Medicine states that compassion care programs can dramatically improve terminally ill patients' psychological well-being and quality of life. By including spiritual and emotional support with medical treatment, hospice patients may be less likely to experience depression or fear of death. Compassionate care can also benefit the families of patients by relieving them of some care giving responsibilities, as well as helping them deal with the anger, confusion or grief they experience.

    Eligibility

    • Compassionate care is generally intended for patients who have a terminal disease and are expected to live less than 6 months, states the Compassionate Care Hospice Organization. Patients who wish to quit seeking medical treatment for terminal diseases are also eligible for hospice care. Terminal diseases that may require compassionate care include HIV or AIDS, cancers, neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis, geriatric diseases or any other advanced, incurable disorder.

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