ROANOKE, Va. – As news broke that former president Jimmy Carter entered hospice care, 10 News spoke with a local expert about what hospice is.
Vice President for Carilion Clinic Home Health and Hospice, Lisa Sprinkel, said it serves patients who have a complex or serious illness.
In particular, hospice accommodates illnesses that, if run their course, might result in mortality in six months or less.
“There is fear and stigma associated with the word hospice,” Sprinkel said. “It’s natural, we live in a society where we’re just not comfortable talking about death and dying.”
Sprinkel said it’s a myth that someone participating in hospice is deciding to forgo medical intervention. They just may be shifting their healthcare to a focus on pain relief rather than cure, but it depends.
She said another misconception is that people don’t make it out of hospice, she said recovery may be possible.