PLANO, Texas, Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, observed each November, is the ideal time to highlight the response of hospice caregivers to those with life-limiting illnesses, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 health crisis, according to Heart to Heart Hospice.
"We are proud to recognize the compassionate efforts of the nurses, aides, physicians, social workers, therapists, chaplains, bereavement coordinators, volunteers – all those who provide comfort, support, and dignity to our patients and their families," said Kelly Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of Heart to Heart Hospice.
"Caring for those at the end of life is difficult work, even in ordinary times," he noted. "But during these extraordinary times, our team members have truly become 'heroic caregivers,' stepping up to the challenge, despite the unknowns, to ensure our patients and families receive the care they need and deserve."
The hospice philosophy holds that end-of-life care should emphasize quality of life, and hospice is designed to help patients remain in the place they call home. This is precisely where 90 percent of adults would prefer to be if diagnosed with a terminal illness, according to a nationwide Gallup survey conducted for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
The survey results revealed other significant ways that hospice provides what Americans want at the end of life:
- When asked to name their greatest fear associated with death, survey respondents most cited "being a burden to family and friends," followed by "pain" and "lack of control." Through an interdisciplinary team, hospice care addresses the whole range of physical and psychological needs faced by patients and their families at life's end.
- 90 percent of adults believe it is the family's responsibility to care for the dying. Hospice provides families with the support needed to keep their loved one at home and can take over fully to give the caretaker short "respite" periods.
- Most adults believe it would take a year or more to adjust to the death of a loved one. Hospice programs offer one year of grief counseling for the surviving family and friends.
An overwhelming majority of adults also indicated they would be interested in the comprehensive program of care at home that hospice programs provide. Yet most Americans know little or nothing about their eligibility for or availability of hospice.
Hospice provides the most appropriate, highest quality, patient- and family-centered care available for people at life's end. National Hospice and Palliative Care Month is a time to encourage people to increase their understanding of the benefits of hospice care and to discuss their end-of-life wishes with their families.
About Heart to Heart Hospice
Heart to Heart Hospice, founded in 2003, is one of the largest private providers of hospice care in the United States. Headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Heart to Heart provides a broad range of hospice services to patients with life-limiting illnesses across 37 locations in Texas, Michigan and Indiana. At Heart to Heart, we understand both the physical and emotional challenges for our patients and their loved ones and our care team is committed to providing them with what they need most: comfort, support, and dignity. Learn more about Heart to Heart Hospice.
Media Contact
Kimberly Dellinger, Heart to Heart Hospice, 9725176300, [email protected]
SOURCE Heart to Heart Hospice
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