Hospice Care in Improving the Quality of Life of Elderly Patients: Assessing the Level of Awareness in Geriatric Centres

Objectives: Hospice is a special kind of care that focuses on a person’s quality of life and dignity as they near the end of their life. Although a lot of emphasis has been laid recently on the concept of a holistic approach to healthcare, there is still limited awareness amongst the stakeholders related to the importance and need for hospice care. The present study focuses on assessing the level of awareness amongst the elderly population living in old-age homes regarding the concept of hospice care and its need for improving their quality of life. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted amongst elderly patients aged between 60 and 75 years, dwelling in geriatric centres, through a questionnaire survey. The Mini–Mental State Examination was administered before the survey to ensure screening for any mental impairment and difficulty in understanding the questionnaire by the participants. An informed consent was obtained and the purpose of the data collection was well informed to the participants before the collection of data. Results: The level of awareness for palliative care and hospice care facilities was calculated for 120 elderly individuals selected from geriatric centres. Only 7% of the participants demonstrated a clear understanding of the concept of hospice care services. Conclusion: The level of awareness of hospice care amongst elderly individuals living in geriatric centres is low. This could be attributed to diverse factors such as educational level, economic status and unawareness regarding their disease progression and course or fear of talking about end of life. It is recommended that to utilise the best practices related to hospice care, the first step is to improve the awareness related to its need amongst the elderly population.