Final answer:
The TRICARE Hospice program is designed to provide comfort-focused end-of-life care to terminally ill patients, often allowing them to remain at home surrounded by family. Research shows that hospice care offers numerous benefits, including patient satisfaction, reduced family burden, and possibly an extended life span for patients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The TRICARE Hospice program is designed to provide care and comfort to patients who are terminally ill. Hospice is a concept in healthcare focused on providing end-of-life care to those whose treatment is no longer cure-oriented. It involves a specialized team of healthcare professionals who are trained to offer palliative care, aiming to alleviate pain and symptoms, rather than pursuing curative treatments. This compassionate approach allows patients to spend their final days in comfort, often in their own homes, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Research, such as that conducted by Brumley, Enquidanos, & Cherin, demonstrates that hospice care reduces the burden on both the patient and the family by offering emotional support, social support, and improved coping mechanisms during the end-of-life process. Patients in hospice care have reported high levels of satisfaction due to the ability to remain at home and have been found to possibly live longer than non-hospice patients. The palliative care provided through hospice services emphasizes patient dignity and quality of life, rather than the pursuit of aggressive treatments.