Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who entered hospice care at his home in south Georgia a year ago, has been in the spotlight, showcasing the realities of aging, dementia, and end-of-life care. Since the announcement of his decision to forego hospital stays and enter hospice care, Jimmy Carter celebrated his 99th birthday, and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, sadly passed away after disclosing her dementia diagnosis. The Carter family's experience illustrates the importance of hospice services and the need for more conversations about this often misunderstood form of care.

Hospice care is described as holistic care that aims to help patients live their final days to the fullest without seeking a cure for their terminal conditions. Hospice provides various practitioners such as nurses, physicians, chaplains, and grief counselors. Medicare covers hospice care costs, with about 1.7 million Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in hospice in 2021 at a significant taxpayer cost.

Contrary to stereotypes, hospice care is not just about administering pain management drugs but is tailored to each patient's case, allowing for treatments of certain complications to ensure comfort. Despite common misconceptions, hospice patients give up curative treatments and some medications, focusing on improving their quality of life during their remaining time.

The average hospice stay for patients who passed away in 2021 was 92 days, with about 10% of enrollees staying over 264 days, driving the majority of costs. Patients can be discharged from hospice if their condition stabilizes or reaches the six-month mark in the program, with for-profit agencies having higher average length of stays compared to nonprofits.

Advocates are calling for changes and expansions in hospice and long-term care services, emphasizing the need for a long-term care insurance provision under Medicare to assist patients and families in dealing with care burdens. While legislation has been proposed in Congress to create a long-term care plan under Medicare, there are challenges in implementing it due to the necessary increase in payroll taxes.

The Carters' experience with hospice care highlights the importance of accepting mortality and the different approach to end-of-life care. Former President Jimmy Carter continues to inspire with his resilience and determination, showing that hospice is not about giving up but about embracing the journey towards the end of life, with dignity and support.