Hospice care's association with the end of life can feed negative myths about it. Providers like Mission Hospice and others often have pages devoted to refuting such myths. It's not true, for instance, that the choice to receive hospice care can't be reversed. Hospice care also doesn't mean a patient surrenders their doctors or medicines. Death remains a frightening prospect for most, however, and research in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management suggests that family caregivers with loved ones in hospice are more likely to be exposed to unsettling end-of-life situations than those caring for people without hospice.
Such experiences and fears may play a role in the average life expectancy of those who enter hospice care. Among other stigmas attached to it, there's a perception among some patients, families, and doctors that such a step would be "giving up," making patients reluctant to enter hospice and doctors reluctant to suggest it. But many families with the experience behind them have said they wished their loved ones had started hospice sooner, expressing gratitude for the care and comfort shown.
A patient's age, sex, and the nature of the condition that led them to hospice care can also influence how long they stay in it. An examination of hospice patients for the Journal of Palliative Medicine found that patients under the age of 65 were more likely to live past six months — by around a 10% difference. It also found that patients experiencing dementia or debility had even greater odds of living past six months compared to those with cancer or cardiovascular disease.
