Morphine can improve the quality of life and reduce pain during your loved one’s final days. Morphine use does not hasten death, and in fact, some studies have shown that patients who receive care from hospice tend to live longer when their symptoms are managed. Using morphine allows a patient to more fully enjoy their time with their family in their last days because they will feel less pain and be more comfortable.
At first, patients who start using morphine may experience some initial drowsiness but their body will adjust to the sedating effects after a few days of use. Morphine is used to treat serious pain and can also be used for patients with shortness of breath. For patients in hospice, morphine is not anything to be afraid of as using morphine can make their pain more tolerable leaving them more mentally alert and able to maintain their independence and dignity during end-of-life care.