Hospice Care FAQs and Myths

Hospice frequently asked questions and myths

Hospice care plays a crucial role in providing comfort and dignity for individuals facing life-limiting illnesses. Despite its importance, misconceptions often surround this specialized care, leading to confusion and hesitations. Below we address common questions about hospice care, clarifying its purpose, eligibility, and accessibility. Additionally, we also address persistent myths, shedding light on the comprehensive support hospice care offers to both patients and their families. By understanding the realities of hospice care, individuals can make informed decisions about their end-of-life care options and find peace in their journey.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hospice Care

 

Q: What is hospice care?
A:Hospice care is a special type of care for those facing a life-limiting illness. Hospice care focuses on managing symptoms and pain and helping patients and their families to be as comfortable as possible – physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

Q: Who is eligible for hospice care?
A: Individuals diagnosed with a life-limiting condition with a prognosis of six months or less. One needn’t be homebound to receive hospice services.

Q: When is it time for hospice care?
A: Hospice care is typically recommended when a physician is offering a life expectancy of six months or less, depending on the course of the disease. Patients and families benefit most when their symptoms are managed earlier during their disease process rather than later. Read more here.

Q: Who pays for hospice care?
A: Most private insurance plans cover hospice care expenses related to the terminal diagnosis, as do Medicare and Medicaid.

Q. Where can I receive hospice care?
A. Wherever the patient resides, in the 35+ towns  RVNAhealth serves.

Myths About Hospice Care

Hospice care is very beneficial to patients and their loved ones. But it is often misunderstood. Following are common myths about hospice care that are not true.

Myth: Hospice care quickens end of life.
Fact: Hospice neither hastens nor slows the end of life. Hospice is a means of healing and providing relief so that patients may focus on quality of life.

Myth: Hospice is solely for cancer patients.
Fact: The RVNAhealth hospice team cares for patients with cancer and many other chronic illnesses.

Myth: Hospice is only for patients nearing death.
Fact: Patients with a prognosis of six months or less may be cared for through hospice services. Patients often ‘graduate’ from hospice care.

Myth: Hospice is far too expensive for a patient and their family.
Fact: Hospice care is covered by most insurance companies and Medicare, Medicaid and other plans.

Myth: It is difficult for a patient to obtain hospice care.
Fact: RVNAhealth will guide you through the steps toward hospice care. You and your family are provided with a medical support team and access to our family of health services: skilled nursing, physical therapists, and non-medical caregivers.

MYTH: Hospice care ends when the patient passes away.
FACT: RVNAhealth offers bereavement support to family members up to 13 months after the passing of a loved one.

Understanding hospice care is essential for dispelling myths and recognizing the immense support it offers to patients and their loved ones. Far from being a last resort, hospice care focuses on enhancing the quality of life, alleviating pain, and providing holistic care tailored to individual needs. It is accessible, affordable, and available to patients with various conditions. By embracing the truth about hospice care, families can navigate this stage with compassion, dignity, and the assurance that they are not alone. For more information, contact RVNAhealth at 203.438.5555.

RVNAhealth’s History

RVNAhealth historical home

 

RVNAhealth began in 1914, when a group of civic-minded women met at the Main Street home of Mrs. Ebenezer Keeler and resolved to bring homecare nursing to Ridgefield. This was the start of the District Nursing Association. Following the precedent set by Florence Nightingale in England and the Henry Street Settlement on the lower east side of Manhattan, these women introduced public health nursing to Ridgefield.

The District Nursing Association (“DNA”) was established to assist the town health officer, visit the sick and needy, establish a school health program, and disseminate health information to the community. The DNA nurse attended to patients’ environment, nourishment, treatment, and medication. In addition to general care, the nurse often found it necessary to contribute clothes, food, equipment, and housekeeping services to people in need of relief. Irene Hoyt, one of the agency’s first nurses, became the symbol of the DNA, joining in 1927, and remaining on staff until 1972.

Introducing Round-the-Clock Service

Building on knowledge gained from experience and lessons learned from the growing public health movement, the DNA further advanced the concept of healing in the home and in the community. By 1977, the DNA was providing 24-hour service, seven days a week, with 38 full- and part-time professional staff.

During the 1980s we introduced many new services, including blood pressure clinics, a nursing registry, vision and hearing screenings, wellness seminars, and support groups. The staff then included physical and occupational therapists, a dietitian and a medical social worker. In 1983, the DNA Hospice program accepted its first patients as a member of Mid-Fairfield Hospice.

By 1993, the agency was accredited with commendation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. In 2002, the DNA was accredited, again with commendation, by the Community Health Accreditation Program (“CHAP”). We are licensed by the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, and certified as a Medicare provider by the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration. The majority of our services are funded by Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers. We also benefit greatly from other income, including contributions and grants, town funding and endowment income, to cover free care and community programs.

New Millennium, New Initiatives

In 2005, The Visiting Nurse Association of Ridgefield, Inc., changed its name to Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association (abbreviated to “RVNA”) and began a strategic community education initiative to highlight our commitment to, and relationship with, the greater Ridgefield area. Today, our service area has expanded to 35+ towns across several counties in Connecticut.

In 2007, RVNA adopted progressive technologies that enabled clinicians to create and access electronic medical records, and to also work remotely in order to meet clients’ needs. In 2009, we introduced the Quality Living at Home program, addressing an aging demographic and becoming a regional leader among aging-in- place programs.

Recognized as one of the top agencies in our field for our strength, dedication and compassion, RVNA received the Hearst Top Workplace Award and was named to the HomeCare Elite. Both awards distinguish Medicare-certified agencies among the top 25% of providers nationwide. We have since won the Top Workplace Award more than ten times.

RVNA celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014 and the century mark introduced a new era of progress and growth, with RVNA offering an expanded range of in-home and onsite services aligned with our mission and vision.

 

In 2014, we began offering non-medical caregivers to complement our clinical services (RVNAhealth Caregiving Services). In 2016, we relocated to a new building on Governor Street in Ridgefield, the Center for Exceptional Care. It features clinical rooms, a teaching kitchen, and the RVNAhealth Therapy Center. In 2018, we extended our services to include end-of-life care, with RVNAHealth Hospice Services.

Over the decades, our agency’s name and logo have evolved: Founded as the District Nursing Association, we became the Visiting Nurse Association of Ridgefield, and then Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association in 2006. On October 5, 2019, we announced our new name, RVNAhealth. The new name deliberately preserves our organization’s legacy and roots, yet better conveys the breadth and depth of the services and regional area we serve. RVNAhealth aligns well with our commitment to serve the lifelong care and wellness needs of individuals in the communities we serve.

In the fall of 2020, RVNAhealth merged operations with Bethel Visiting Nurse Association, and New Milford Visiting Nurse & Hospice.  The single agency operates as RVNAhealth with the primary location in Ridgefield CT and a branch office in New Milford. The new RVNAhealth presently serves 35+ towns in Connecticut, located in Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven counties.

We are excited and well-positioned to address the changing face of health care with a strategic vision for the future, while remaining committed to our mission of providing exceptional home and community health care services, supporting public health and safety and promoting the highest quality of life.

Breathe into the Positives

“Life is not meant to be an obstacle course, although we deal with obstacles constantly disguised as day-to-day issues.”  ~ Barbara, one of our first Parkinson’s Center Advisory Board Members.

 

Get to Know Barbara

After spending 45 years working as an Administrative Assistant while raising three children as a single mother, Barbara wanted to see the world. When a small college in Alaska offered free room and board in exchange for volunteerism, Barbara leaned into her belief that “limits are self-imposed,” and set out on an 8,000-mile adventure. Barbara spent the next decade traveling the country, doing volunteer work, and she published a book about her journey: “The Second Career Volunteer.” When diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in 2011, Barbara met the challenge with the same courage and determination with which she embraced her post-retirement adventures.

 

Enter RVNAhealth

Barbara was a fierce advocate for raising awareness of PD. In 2023, she successfully lobbied the Town of Ridgefield to proclaim March as Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. When she learned about RVNAhealth’s plans to launch a Parkinson’s Center, Barbara reached out to Kate Campbell, DPT, Director of RVNAhealth’s Therapy and Parkinson’s Centers, to see how she could help. Barbara was thrilled that the program would provide much-needed education, exercise and support. Kate recalls, “She joined the first Parkinson’s Bootcamp and participated in every activity she could — floor exercises, kick boxing, even dancing. She was an inspiration to others who were just beginning their journey.”

Barbara’s mantra was to “breathe into the positives,” and that she did. As her disease progressed, she made the decision to transition to RVNAhealth’s Hospice care, with a wish to stay in her home. Her daughter, Pam, reached out to RVNAhealth and a hospice team arrived with the medical equipment she needed and caregivers in place to keep her comfortable over the next several months. True to form, Barbara still attended RVNAhealth’s Parkinson’s Center classes and bootcamp, but her new focus was on managing symptoms and enjoying time with her family.

RVNAhealth hospice volunteer, Kristy, visited Barbara weekly to offer comfort in the form of Reiki. Barbara remarked many times that during these sessions was the only time she was able to feel completely relaxed, as her tremors subsided, and she treasured the moments of peace she received. Another volunteer, Nicole, helped Barbara fulfill her dream of surprising her family with Christmas gifts – something Barbara could no longer accomplish on her own, having lost a great deal of her independence to the effects of PD. Nicole took Barbara on a shopping spree and wrapped all of the presents. Pam shared, “I’ll never forget Mom’s joy that Christmas morning.” Those moments together in their home formed priceless memories that were only possible through the care and compassion of RVNAhealth’s Hospice team.

 

RVNAhealth doesn’t just care FOR people, we care ABOUT them

RVNAhealth’s Hospice care is designed to meet the needs of the individual and family. Last year, 488 patients received compassionate end-of-life care from RVNAhealth, including special services like pet therapy, music therapy, and Reiki. Our volunteers provided 1,975 hours of companionship. It is our goal to support the physical, emotional, and social needs of each hospice family we are privileged to serve; however, we need your help to do this. It is only with support from people like you that we can maintain our Parkinson’s and Hospice programs and the many other healthcare services we offer for people at all stages of life.

Barbara was fond of Heather Cox Richardson’s quote, “It’s never too late to change the future.” YOU can help us change the future for those like Barbara and her family. We will always be here for you, too.

 

Please consider making a donation today.

You can make your tax-deductible gift to support RVNAhealth by visiting our donor page and remember, a matching gift from your employer could double your donation, furthering our mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed. Click here to see if your gift is match-eligible and to learn the easy steps you can take to maximize your impact!

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering in our Hospice program, please contact Stephanie Peppe at speppe@RVNAhealth.org.

 

Our Volunteers are Heroes Without Capes

Giving Tuesday is based on the premise, “together, we create the future we want to see.”

At RVNAhealth, we know the difference YOU can make by supporting us on Giving Tuesday and bettering the lives of those in your community.

The RVNAhealth Volunteer Program is often where the magic happens. Our volunteers are truly heroes without capes, and your gift will sustain their compassionate work and the companionship they provide to our patients. This Giving Tuesday, we are asking for your support of RVNAhealth’s Volunteer Program. Stephanie Peppe, RVNAhealth Manager of Volunteer Services, warmly notes that “our volunteers come to us generously with selfless intent, yet they make a profound difference in the lives of those they touch.”

Our volunteers contribute to everything from supporting the daily operations of the organization to changing the lives of our hospice patients and their families. In the words of Paulina, a 4-year RVNAhealth volunteer who visits with our hospice patients weekly, “you are not just building a relationship with your patients, but also building relationships with their families. I love that I get to provide so much relief for the families because a lot of them are 24-7 caretakers for their loved ones, and it’s just amazing how profound of an impact you can have during this tough time.”

Kristy, Reiki Master and RVNAhealth volunteer who also works with our hospice patients shares, “I love hearing the wisdom and stories the patients share. If I can make a connection with somebody, letting them be seen, heard, & valued, it fills my bucket, just by seeing a patient, putting a smile on their face, or helping them relax. It has given me a new perspective and sense of compassion for the aging, and I hope someday, somebody comes to visit me and make my last days better, too.”

RVNAhealth patient (and carpenter) works on a birdhouse kit provided by the Wishes program

The RVNAhealth Volunteer Program needs your support in many ways, including technology in the form of laptops and volunteer management software, background checks and fitness testing to safeguard the communities we serve, and support of our Wishes Program*, to name just a few. The Wishes Program works to grant hospice patients and their families special wishes, both large and small. These “wishes” are carried out in large part by the efforts of our dedicated volunteers with funding from donor gifts. Granting these “wishes” is especially impactful when the cost may be prohibitive for the family or the timing difficult, if not impossible, for friends and family to navigate.

Wishes may be as simple as a meal requested for a bedbound patient from their favorite restaurant, a flower arrangement, books & games to pass the time …  or more complex like planting a tomato garden for a patient to continue his treasured tradition of doing so, building birdhouses with a carpenter struggling with dementia, purchasing an air conditioner for a patient to remain safe and comfortable during extreme summer heat, or needing ambulette transport to a special family gathering or a grandchild’s school concert.

In this season of gratitude and giving, please consider making a contribution to RVNAhealth in honor of Giving Tuesday, and give the precious gift of health, comfort and peace to the patients and families we serve. You may click here to donate: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/rvnahealthgivingtuesday2024

* In addition to the generous support of our donors, the RVNAhealth Wishes Program is partially funded by a grant from the Ridgefield Thrift Shop.