At CompassionCare Hospice patient and family care are top priority. “Family” can mean a lot of different things too many people, and isn’t always blood related. Family can include a close friend, loved-one, caregiver, or even a pet. When a patient passes with CompassionCare Hospice and there is no one to look after their furry friend anymore, our staff continue the… Read more »
“It’s about how you live” is the theme for this year’s National Hospice & Palliative Care Month. Hospice and palliative care organizations are the advocates and educators on advanced healthcare planning. We help individuals make decisions about the healthcare they would want to receive should they be faced with a serious or life-limiting illness, or if they were unable… Read more »
You may or may not have heard about hospice care before, in fact, most people have not. It’s a subject that gets avoided constantly and unless faced with an unexpected crisis, almost always never talked about. Some understand the basics but many believe the numerous misconceptions, such as: “It’s for dying people.” “They provide counseling… Read more »
Hospice care is provided by a core group of professionals who support and treat each hospice patient as a whole. Hospice doesn’t just manage pain. It shows patients and families how to best cope with an illness and addresses all physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. It is care that meets the unique needs of each individual,… Read more »
If you thought you were dying, what would matter most? Seventy percent of Americans say they would prefer to die at home, but nearly 70 percent die in hospitals and institutions. “Being Mortal”, a Frontline PBS program based off the book, “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End”, by Dr. Atul Gawande, underscores the importance… Read more »
Hospice volunteers are essential when putting together a hospice team. Medicare guidelines require hospice organizations to have and utilize volunteers in addition to their paid employees, volunteers help to support hospice staff and also relieve caregivers. They make scheduled visits as needed based on their availability and willingness. They are unpaid, yet can be priceless. Many people imagine themselves becoming volunteers, making a… Read more »
Hospice is different. Centered on palliative care, which is the management of pain and symptoms so that every moment can be as comfortable and rewarding as possible. Traditional medicine treats the disease, where hospice attends with compassion and respect, to the whole patient. At some point a decision may have to be made-not about ceasing all care,… Read more »
When we aren’t feeling well we look to our physicians and trust that they will provide us with proper medications to treat our conditions and make us feel better. This is most important with a hospice patient when comfort care is the main goal of any and all treatments. Many believe that hospice stops all medications… Read more »
When your family is suddenly hit with the passing of a loved one, it leaves little to no time to prepare. On the other hand, a person who is slowly transitioning can become confusing for families as they may not be as sure as to what’s happening. If you are prepared no matter what the circumstance is, you have… Read more »
Decisions about end-of-life care are intensely personal, and are based on an individual’s own values and beliefs. Talking with your family, healthcare providers, friends, and loved ones are all important steps to making your wishes known. These conversations will relieve loved ones and healthcare providers of the need to guess what you would want if ever faced… Read more »
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