On one of those 3:00 in the morning, “I can’t sleep so I’ll think instead” nights it occurred to me that there are actually three kinds of diseases.
There are diseases that are fixable. You go to the doctor, receive medicines or treatments, and you become well. There is no question that you will get better.
Then there are diseases that are life-threatening. They may be fixable, OR maybe not be fixable. Treatment is not a guarantee that you will return to health.
And the final kind of disease is not fixable. No matter the treatments, no matter the care, death will be the result.
These three disease categories do not necessarily follow each other. They do not move into each other in a one, two, three progression. Each requires its own separate, unique approach to care. There are different treatment plans and services for each of these disease categories.
When a disease is fixable, home health services provide medical care in the home. It can provide instructions, observation, assessments, and monitoring when a person has challenges leaving their home to receive a physician’s care.
When it is questionable whether the disease can be fixed, home health is still an option. But palliative care becomes an appropriate shift in services. There is a shift from certainty to uncertainty. You will try to fix the disease, but there is an understanding that it may not work.
For the disease that can’t be fixed or cured, no matter what is done, hospice becomes the appropriate care provider. Hospice is end of life care and presents a shift from curative considerations to comfort, supportive care. Family support becomes an important part of care.
With the first two types of diseases, the patient is the point of care, the point of decision making. The patient is responsible for making all decisions. Family and significant others are not part of the plan of care.
With hospice services, the family and significant others are included as part of the decision making. They are as much a part of the plan of care as the patient.
Knowing and recognizing the three different types of disease gives us a better picture of the options available to us. It can help us make wise decisions as we travel the challenges of health care.
Something more… about From Cure to Comfort: Matching Your Care to the Illness
If you’re looking for guidance, the Family Support Bundle brings together my most helpful resources to prepare and support you from palliative care through end-of-life care. Whether you’re just starting to ask questions or already walking this path, this bundle offers comfort, education, and reassurance.
