According to a new study published by Health Services Research, nursing home residents receiving hospice care reduce their chances of hospitalization by half compared to those who don’t receive hospice care. From SeniorJournal.com:
People who choose hospice, which focuses on comfort instead of cure, tend to refuse aggressive end-of-life treatment anyway, Gozalo said. But even taking this into consideration, hospice still makes a significant difference in keeping people out of the hospital in their last days, the study shows.
The study also looked at characteristics of nursing home residents who receive hospice care. They are more likely to have a cancer diagnosis, although “two-thirds of nursing- home residents in hospice have a noncancer diagnosis,” Gozalo said. Hospice patients are also more likely to be female, white and married compared to residents not receiving hospice care.
