Comfort, love, respect | emporiagazette.com

National Hospice and Palliative Care month is celebrated each year during November. Living life as fully as possible is what hospice and palliative care are all about. Hospice care brings individuals and families compassionate care when a cure isn?t possible. Palliative care focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. The combination of hospice and palliative care provides comfort and support throughout the final months of the illness. Hospice and palliative care are different than traditional health care services. Hospice care provides expert pain management, symptom control, emotional support, and spiritual care to individuals and family caregivers when a cure is not possible. Care is provided by a highly trained team of professionals and volunteers.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reported that every year 1.6 million people living with a life-limiting illness receive care from the nation?s hospice and palliative care providers. The goal of this type of care is to treat the person instead of the disease, and focus on the family caregivers. The individual?s quality of life becomes the priority. Hospice professionals and trained volunteers ask individuals and families what?s important and listen to what is said.

Hospice care is available to people of all ages with any illness. Often hospice is commonly mistaken to be for individuals with cancer only. Currently, the top diagnoses for hospice utilization are cancer, heart disease, dementia (including Alzheimer?s disease), lung disease, and stroke. Many individuals who receive hospice care say they wish they had known about hospice earlier.

?Hospice care is not intended for the last days of life only. Hospice care is most effective for patients and families in the final months of life when patients and families can take full advantage of the services provided by hospice,? said Cathy Pimple, MS, APRN, Director of Hand In Hand Hospice

The hospice team consists of a hospice physician, nurses, home health aides, social workers, trained volunteers, a chaplain, and the person?s primary care physician. The hospice team provides expert medical care to keep patients comfortable and able to enjoy time with loved ones. The hospice team answers questions, offers advice on what to expect, and helps support families in the caregiver role. The team also provides emotional and spiritual support for the entire family.

Counseling and grief support are an important part of hospice care as well. After the person?s death, bereavement support is offered for one year or longer. Support is individualized based on individual needs and includes telephone calls, mailings, face to face visits and support groups.

?Grief is not something that just goes away in time, and it?s not something that we get treatment for and recover from,? said Cyrele Clausen, LMSW, Hand in Hand Bereavement Coordinator. ?Missing a significant person in our life is something that will always be with us. We offer support to help one navigate the months following a loss. Our goal at Hand In Hand Hospice is to help those who are grieving find a new sense of normal for their lives.?

Six important points to know about hospice:

• Hospice care is usually provided in the home (wherever the individual calls home).
• Hospice cares for people with any kind of life-limiting illness.
• Hospice is fully covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private health plans and HMOs.
• Hospice is not limited to six months of care.
• Hospice is not ?giving up?; rather the focus is on caring, not curing.
• Anyone can contact hospice (contact Hand In Hand Hospice to learn if hospice is right for you or your loved one).
• Hospice and palliative care provide solutions beyond traditional medical care. Most importantly, hospice brings you and your family comfort, love, and respect. If you or a loved one are facing a serious or life-limiting illness, contact Hand In Hand Hospice or your health care provider for further information on hospice services.

Shape Up, Emporia!, is a weekly fitness and health column aimed at readers of all ages to get off the couch and get into shape. Each week will feature a fitness, health or nutrition professional from around the area who will share some friendly tips on how to improve your overall health. Our goal is to make getting in shape fun and easy to fit into your existing lifestyle and daily routine.

Source: http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2012/nov/13/comfort-love-respect/

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