Beyond Comfort: The Unique Benefits of Hospice Care

Each November, the healthcare industry pauses to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of hospice care, the benefits it offers, and the dedicated professionals who deliver compassionate support. For those unfamiliar with hospice, it is often perceived merely as medical assistance during an individual’s final days; however, its scope extends far beyond that. “We have a saying around here: ‘Hospice is for living,’” states Katie Quine, RVNAhealth Director of Hospice. “This reflects our daily mission to support both patients and families by providing comfort and facilitating meaningful moments.”

RVNAhealth provides a comprehensive range of hospice services, highlighting some lesser-known benefits that go beyond traditional notions of comfort.

Care in a Comfortable Setting

RVNAhealth accommodates patients in their homes as well as in facility-based care, allowing for personalized options. When patients choose to receive care at home, RVNAhealth ensures that medical supplies, medications, and professional staff are readily available there, often enhancing the overall comfort of the experience.

Respite Care and Companionship for Patients and Families

Recognizing that family caregivers often feel overwhelmed, hospice care includes respite services to provide them with essential breaks. This arrangement allows caregivers to recharge while ensuring that their loved ones receive quality care. Additionally, RVNAhealth’s team of hospice volunteers enriches the experience by offering companionship and joy—engaging in activities such as playing board games, documenting memories, shopping for meaningful gifts, or sharing in the enjoyment of reading together. This team-based approach fosters an environment that cultivates beauty and joy for the entire family.

Emotional and Spiritual Support
Pet and music therapy during hospice care
Music therapy and pet (Sophia) therapy during a hospice visit.

Hospice care encompasses holistic support, addressing emotional and spiritual needs for both patients and their families. RVNAhealth’s licensed clinical social workers and spiritual coordinators collaborate to guide families through grief, anxiety, and the search for peace during challenging times. Furthermore, RVNAhealth offers music and pet therapy options for those seeking additional comfort during hospice visits.

Bereavement Support

One often-overlooked aspect of hospice care is the ongoing support provided to families after the loss of a loved one. RVNAhealth’s hospice team offers grief counseling and support groups to assist family members in navigating their loss for up to 13 months following a patient’s passing. This includes an annual hospice memorial event and monthly bereavement support groups held in Ridgefield and New Milford.

In summary, hospice care is centered around comfort, compassion, and comprehensive support, aiding families as they navigate some of life’s most challenging moments with greater ease and peace. If you believe that hospice care could benefit your family, please contact RVNAhealth at 203.438.5555 or visit our hospice website for more information.

Many components of our hospice care, such as bereavement support, our annual hospice memorial event, and music and pet therapies, are only possible with financial support from our donors. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed, please click here.

 

About RVNAhealth

RVNAhealth is a private, 501c(3) non-profit organization which provides a continuum of care to people in 35+ towns across Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties. RVNAhealth depends on financial support from individuals like you who believe that healthy communities improve the quality of life for everyone. Every gift — no matter the size — is critical to upholding our mission and sustaining our important work. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed, please click here.

Grief, Healing and the Holidays

Grief, healing and the holidays. Presentation at RVNAhealth

This holiday season might mark the initial one following the loss of a loved one. The holidays can become hard for many as grief tends to cling to us. It doesn’t just affect us personally; it also becomes intertwined with specific moments and locations.

“Instead of the usual holiday traditions evoking feelings of ‘comfort and joy’ in us, they tend to resurface memories and emotions that can also bring forth feelings of sorrow and heartache,” says Garrett Walkup, RVNAhealth Manager of Bereavement, Social Work, and Pastoral Care Services.

Special Presentation: Grief, Healing and the Holidays

To provide additional support during this time of year, RVNAhealth will host two presentations on “Grief, Healing and the Holidays.” These lectures will include “how to cope with the emotions and feelings of the season, how to handle holiday traditions, and what to do differently – and the same,” says Walkup. Walkup will cover several suggestions to help you with coping and healing.  Strategies such as mindset, being kind to yourself, asking for support, creating boundaries, and more will be covered.

These programs are open to all members of the community and are intended to offer support through the holiday season for those who have experienced a loss.  You may contact Garrett Walkup, at 475-529-6118, or gwalkup@rvnahealth.org if you have any questions.

Ongoing Monthly Grief/Bereavement Support Groups Available

RVNAhealth also offers monthly support groups at both its Ridgefield and New Milford offices. These are open to anyone needing a space for comfort and guidance on grief and healing. Please see current dates available below. Check out the RVNAhealth calendar / support groups tab for the latest information and offerings.

 

About RVNAhealth

RVNAhealth is a private, 501c(3) non-profit organization which provides a continuum of care to people in 35+ towns across Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties. RVNAhealth depends on financial support from individuals like you who believe that healthy communities improve the quality of life for everyone. Every gift — no matter the size — is critical to upholding our mission and sustaining our important work. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed, please click here.

The Role of Geriatric Care Managers in Navigating the Aging Process

Geriatric Care Manager at RVNAhealth

What is a Geriatric Care Manager and why would I need one? This is an important question many have, but few know much (or enough) about! So let’s set the stage…

  • Do you have a loved one who has experienced a recent health or cognition change that will affect their daily or future living?
  • Do you know someone who is living alone or might need more care?
  • Do your loved ones have advanced directives in place, and have you had end-of-life care and wish discussions?

These scenarios only skim the surface in the range of topics that a Geriatric Care Manager can assist with. Whether seeking help during a period of transition or simply planning for the future, RVNAhealth’s Geriatric Care Management team of licensed clinical social workers offers expert senior guidance, advocacy, and support.

Help Designed For Navigating The Aging Journey

Navigating the complex world of senior care and aging requires careful knowledge and time. As RVNAhealth’s Geriatric Care Manager, Amy Feder, LCSW, CDP, CCM, works to support and educate clients and family members through their unique aging journey.

“I consider a large part of my role as an educator. Often, when a loved one experiences a sudden health or cognitive change, the children or spouse are not prepared for what those changes mean. Most are not aware of critical resources and options available to them.  That’s where I come in. I am a passionate counselor and advocate for our senior population. And helping individuals and families navigate the aging process is an honor,” says Amy.

Amy spends much of her time meeting with clients to understand needs, developing a plan, and then getting to work in connecting them with relevant and available resources and options. That work can span a wide range of support depending on an individuals’ needs and circumstances. Support may come in the form of education or advocacy on health and medical resources, connection to legal or financial assistance, social services, living and caregiving options, end-of-life planning, and more. “It can be really hard to summarize the services of a Geriatric Care Manager,” says Amy. “But that’s the beauty and importance of what this role is all about – it’s about each individual client and family and assisting them with their own specific needs.”

Questions or Want to Discuss a Geriatric Care Management Need?

RVNAhealth’s Geriatric Care Managers are available to clients on a private-pay basis for as little as an hour or for as long as an individual or family would like for ongoing needs and oversight.  “A lot can be accomplished in a one hour conversation,” says Amy. If you have an inquiry or questions about Geriatric Care Management at RVNAhealth, please call us at 203.438.5555 option 2.

About Amy Feder, LCSW, CDP, CCM, RVNAhealth Geriatric Care Manager

Amy Feder, RVNAhealth Geriatric Care Manager, LCSW, CDP, CMCPrior to her new role, Amy worked as an RVNAhealth Hospice and Palliative Care Social Worker.  She has also worked for many years as a Geriatric Care Manager for the Senior Choice at Home program through Jewish Senior Services. Amy’s background as a Certified Dementia Practitioner/ Geriatric Case Manager has provided her a unique ability in supporting geriatric patients and their families.  Amy has facilitated caregiver support groups throughout assisted living facilities in Connecticut and has spoken on the importance of self-care for family members caring for elderly loved ones.

Amy received her Master’s in Social Work from NYU in 1994, and has worked at both NYU Medical Center and Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.  Amy is a member of the Alzheimer’s Association, NASW, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), and Certified Care Manager (CCM) through the National Academy of Certified Care Managers. She feels it is a privilege to provide care for the senior population.

 

 

About RVNAhealth

RVNAhealth is a private, 501c(3) non-profit organization which provides a continuum of care to people in 35+ towns across Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties. RVNAhealth depends on financial support from individuals like you who believe that healthy communities improve the quality of life for everyone. Every gift — no matter the size — is critical to upholding our mission and sustaining our important work. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed, please click here.

Dynamic Duo: Volunteer Lead and Therapy Dog Win Hospice Award

Stephanie Peppe, Hospice Volunteer Manager, and our beloved hospice therapy dog Sophia won the 2024 Florence Wald Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care – Volunteer Award.

Pictured: Stephanie Peppe, Hospice Volunteer Manager, and Sophia (Therapy Dog), along with Theresa Santoro, RVNAhealth President & CEO, and the RVNAhealth Hospice and Palliative Care teams.

We are incredibly proud to announce that our very own Stephanie Peppe, Hospice Volunteer Manager, and our beloved hospice therapy dog Sophia won the 2024 Florence Wald Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care – Volunteer Award. The award was presented at the Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home Statewide Hospice & Palliative Care Annual Summit.

About the Award

Stephanie Peppe, Hospice Volunteer Manager, and our beloved hospice therapy dog Sophia won the 2024 Florence Wald Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care – Volunteer Award.
Stephanie and Sophia are pictured here with Florence Wald’s daughter, Shari Vogler

The award was established to honor Florence Wald, a pioneer in improving the care of dying patients worldwide. Florence Wald’s focus on an interdisciplinary approach to end-of-life care led her to open the first hospice in the United States (here in Connecticut!) in 1971. As a visionary leader with an unwavering commitment to social justice and reverence for life, she invited patient, family, and team participation. She truly listened to their input which ultimately started the hospice reform movement in this country.

A Passion for Hospice Volunteers

In her role as Hospice Volunteer Manager, Stephanie Peppe is crucial in recruiting, training, and overseeing volunteers who provide invaluable support to hospice patients and their loved ones. Stephanie manages a team of 70+ volunteers and in the past 12 months, they have provided over 1,600 hours of help in the office and the field visiting patients and their family members.  Stephanie is steadfast in her mission to educate and inspire others to recognize the value of hospice volunteerism. “People are usually drawn to hospice volunteer work because of a positive personal experience with a loved one,” she says. “But I encourage all to consider hospice as a volunteer path. It really doesn’t take much except being there — sitting with a patient, walking the dog, or providing respite for the family so they can run errands,” she says. “Presence means the absolute world to patients and their families.”

Welcoming our Therapy Dog

On June 8, 2021, RVNAhealth welcomed Sophia, RVNAhealth’s Hospice Therapy Dog. Sophia was trained at ECAD — Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities and was originally intended to be a seeing-eye dog, but her calm demeanor and mild pace ultimately destined her to be the perfect facility/therapy dog. In addition to her hospice volunteer role, Stephanie took on the lead role for our pet therapy program.

A Dynamic Duo for RVNAhealth Hospice

Together, Stephanie and Sophia have helped pioneer a special approach to hospice care, bringing comfort and companionship to patients in a unique and meaningful way. Sophia’s presence has been a source of joy and comfort to many, embodying the spirit of compassion and companionship that is central to hospice care.

Stephanie’s tenacity in challenging misconceptions about hospice care, her dedication to educating and inspiring others, and her innovative use of animal-assisted therapy with Sophia truly set her apart as a leader in the field of end-of-life care. Sophia’s role as a therapy dog has brought comfort and joy to many patients and their families, highlighting the importance of companionship and emotional support in hospice care. Together, Stephanie and Sophia have touched the lives of countless individuals, embodying the spirit of Florence Wald’s interdisciplinary approach to end-of-life care. Congratulations to Stephanie and Sophia for embodying the spirit of excellence in hospice care!

For More Information About Volunteering at RVNAhealth

Watch Sophia, star in ‘A Day in the Life of a Hospice Volunteer”

RVNAhealth welcomes all inquiries for volunteer opportunities. The RVNAhealth volunteer program offers safe and diverse opportunities for donating time in a way that is purposeful and meaningful for everyday heroes of all ages. Share the gift of your time across our robust organization in an administrative role, or join our Hospice volunteer corps, dedicated to supporting patients and families at end-of-life. A little known fact specific to our hospice volunteers program — RVNAhealth, and all Medicare-certified hospice programs, are required by law to have 5% of service hours performed by volunteers.  Why?  Because hospice care in the U.S. was founded by volunteers, and the commitment to the power, beauty, and altruism of volunteering remains!

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at RVNAhealth, please visit us here and fill out our Volunteer Inquiry Form.

 

 

About RVNAhealth

 RVNAhealth is a private, 501c(3) non-profit organization which provides a continuum of care to people in 35+ towns across Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties. RVNAhealth depends on financial support from individuals like you who believe that healthy communities improve the quality of life for everyone. Every gift — no matter the size — is critical to upholding our mission and sustaining our important work. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed, please click here.

Volunteering: It’s Good for You!

Volunteering at RVNAhealth

“Volunteering isn’t just good for the soul; it’s medicine for the heart, mind, and body.” – Unknown 

With the arrival of spring comes the appreciation of new growth. While you take a moment to observe the external change around you, maybe you will be inspired to consider new personal growths and goals. At RVNAhealth, we hope that you are reminded to invest in yourself! Schedule and check off all those annual wellness appointments, take time for exercise, eat well, and do things to nourish your social and emotional well-being.

On the topic of social and emotional well-being, April happens to be National Volunteer Month in the United States.  During this time, organizations, communities, and individuals often come together to celebrate the impact of volunteers and encourage others to get involved in service activities. RVNAhealth, too, looks forward to celebrating its own special community of volunteers!

More Than Just a Feel Good Factor

Volunteering has been shown to provide a multitude of social and emotional benefits.  It can boost happiness, gratitude, and a sense of purpose. And if you needed another reason to raise your hand and get started, volunteering has also been connected to longevity! Researchers studying the “Blue Zones” (geographic regions around the world boasting populations living statistically longer lives) have found that volunteerism is often integrated into daily life. It is a natural part of how people interact with each other and contribute to the well-being of their community. Overall, the principles of volunteerism in Blue Zones revolve around fostering social connections, promoting community well-being, and embracing a sense of purpose and collective responsibility. These values contribute to the overall health, happiness, and longevity observed in these regions.

Volunteering at RVNAhealth

Watch one of our favorite volunteers, Sophia, star in ‘A Day in the Life of a Hospice Volunteer”

RVNAhealth welcomes all inquiries for volunteer opportunities. The RVNAhealth volunteer program offers safe and diverse opportunities for donating time in a way that is purposeful and meaningful for everyday heroes of all ages. Share the gift of your time across our robust organization in an administrative role, or join our Hospice volunteer corps, dedicated to supporting patients and families at end of life. A little known fact specific to our Hospice volunteers program — RVNAhealth, and all Medicare-certified hospice programs, are required by law to have 5% of service hours performed by volunteers.  Why?  Because hospice care in the U.S. was founded by volunteers, and the commitment to the power, beauty, and altruism of volunteering remains!

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at RVNAhealth, please visit us here and fill out our Volunteer Inquiry Form.

 

RVNAhealth is a private, 501c(3) non-profit organization which provides a continuum of care to people in 35+ towns across Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties. RVNAhealth depends on financial support from individuals like you who believe that healthy communities improve the quality of life for everyone. Every gift — no matter the size — is critical to upholding our mission and sustaining our important work. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed, please click here.

 

Are You Prepared? Advanced Care Planning 101

advanced care planning

This month, November, is Hospice and Palliative Care Month. In recognition, we strongly encourage all who haven’t initiated discussions about Advanced Care Planning to take advantage of November as a steppingstone. If you’ve already done your planning – congratulations on this important step – just be sure to review and update your directive to reflect any changes in your preferences or medical circumstances.

What is Advanced Care Planning?

Advanced care planning is a process that involves making decisions about your future healthcare preferences in advance, particularly if you become unable to make decisions for yourself due to illness or incapacity. The primary purpose of advanced care planning is to ensure that your medical care aligns with your values, beliefs, and personal preferences. It also helps reduce the emotional burden on your family and healthcare providers by providing clear guidance.

Key components of advanced care planning include:

  • Advanced Directive (also called Healthcare Directive or Living Will): This document allows you to specify your preferences for medical treatments, such as life-sustaining measures, resuscitation, and organ donation. It outlines the circumstances under which you want specific treatments or interventions and when you do not.
  • Appointment of a Healthcare Proxy or Agent: In some cases, you can designate a trusted individual to make medical decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to do so. This person is often referred to as a healthcare proxy or agent.
  • Discussion and Communication: The process involves open and honest discussions with your loved ones, healthcare providers, and, if you’ve appointed one, your healthcare proxy. These conversations are crucial to ensure that your wishes are known and understood.

Resources for Advanced Care Planning

Creating an advanced directive is an important step in ensuring that your healthcare preferences are documented and followed when you cannot make decisions for yourself. There are various resources available to help you create an advanced directive:

  • State-Specific Forms: Most U.S. states have specific forms or templates for advanced directives that are legally recognized. These forms are usually available through state government websites, local hospitals, or legal aid organizations. They are designed to meet the legal requirements of your particular jurisdiction. Connecticut’s starting point webpage for Advanced Directives can be found here.
  • Online Resources: Numerous websites and organizations offer advanced directive forms and guides. Some popular resources include:
    • CaringInfo: This is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) that provides free state-specific advanced directive forms and information.
    • Five Wishes: This is a user-friendly advanced directive document that is accepted in most U.S. states. It goes beyond medical decisions to address emotional and spiritual issues. You can purchase a copy online.
    • AARP: The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) offers advanced directive forms and information that can be customized to your needs.
  • Consult an Attorney: If you have complex medical preferences or want legal advice, consider consulting an attorney who specializes in healthcare or estate planning. They can provide guidance, answer your questions, and ensure that your advanced directive complies with your state’s laws.
  • Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (including RVNAhealth!): Many hospitals and healthcare providers have resources available to help you create an advanced directive. They may offer informational brochures, access to standard forms, or guidance from social workers or ethics committees.

Remember that creating an advanced directive is an important legal and healthcare document, and it’s essential to follow your state’s specific guidelines to ensure its validity. Be sure to share a copy of your advanced directive with your healthcare provider, family members, and your chosen healthcare proxy or agent, if applicable.

Contact RVNAhealth for More Information

Begin the dialogue regarding Advanced Care Planning by reaching out to our team at RVNAhealth. We’re here to assist you in starting these conversations proactively, without the urgency of a crisis. We provide informative materials to assist you, and our team members are available for discussions. Planning ahead is a choice that no one has ever regretted. In fact, it’s a precious gift you can give both to yourself and your loved ones. To learn more, contact us at 203-438-5555, or visit our website.

Highlighting the Hospice Conversation

highlighting the hospice conversation

Jimmy Carter and his decision to enter hospice care has taken prominent placement in national news over the past six months. His decision to make public his election for hospice care has had a profound impact on how people perceive and discuss end-of-life care. Despite assumptions that hospice care is a short-term arrangement primarily for individuals at the brink of passing away, Carter’s case has demonstrated that hospice care can extend for a longer period and truly focuses on patient quality of life.

Current statistics show that only slightly more than half of those patients eligible for hospice care opt to receive it. At the age of 98, the former president’s choice to enter hospice care has led to a shift in public understanding. His family’s reports of him enjoying simple pleasures, such as ice cream and staying engaged with the activities of the Carter Center, highlight that hospice care can provide comfort and maintain a sense of normalcy for patients, rather than solely concentrating on medical interventions.

Carter’s openness about his journey has prompted conversations about hospice care’s benefits and debunked common misconceptions. Hospice care isn’t solely about imminent death; it centers on enhancing a patient’s well-being, managing pain, and emotional support for both patient and family. Carter’s situation underscores that hospice care can offer a higher quality of life for patients who opt to prioritize comfort and quality of life over aggressive medical treatments.

By openly sharing his care choice, Jimmy Carter has contributed to breaking down barriers surrounding discussions on death and end-of-life care. His example encourages a broader dialogue about the importance of making informed decisions regarding care options, advocating for individual preferences, and recognizing that hospice can offer solace, dignity, and a higher quality of life during one’s final stages.

For more information from RVNAhealth on myths and frequently asked questions about hospice care, visit our page.

RVNAhealth Hospice and Palliative Teams Win 2023 Florence Wald Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care

2023 Florence Wald Award accepted by RVNAhealth Hospice and Palliative Care team

RVNAhealth’s Hospice and Palliative care teams won the 2023 Florence Wald Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care.

Florence Wald Connecticut History

The Florence Wald Award for Excellence in End-of-Life Care was established to honor Florence Wald. Wald was a pioneer in improving the care of dying patients across the world. Her focus on an interdisciplinary approach to end-of-life care led her to open the first hospice in the United States (here in Connecticut) in 1971. A visionary leader with unwavering commitment to social justice and reverence for life, Wald valued patient, family, and team participation. She truly listened to their input which ultimately launched the hospice reform movement in this country. Thirty-seven years later at the time of her death in 2008, over 4,700 hospices had been instituted across the country.  And today, in 2023, there are over 8,000 hospice and palliative care institutions!

RVNAhealth Acceptance of Award

2023 Florence Wald Award given to RVNAhealth Hospice and Palliative Care Teams
2023 Florence Wald End-of-Life Care Award

The award was presented on May 11th at the annual Statewide Hospice & Palliative Care Summit, hosted by the Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home. Theresa Santoro, President & CEO of RVNAhealth, and team members attended a ceremony to accept the award. “This award is a reflection not only of the incredible work of our Hospice and Palliative teams but of the work from everyone at RVNAhealth. It is performed naturally and with great compassion and has a tremendous impact on our patients,” said Santoro

Keri Linardi, RN, BSN, PHN, CHPCA, RVNAhealth Chief Clinical Officer, elaborated on how the RVNAhealth team exemplifies Wald’s commitment. “The key is meeting patients and families where they are in their illness trajectory. Our approach is quite different because we spend more time listening to what patients want.  We educate them on the best approach to meet those needs, and provide the right care at the right time which includes many ancillary services. We hold ourselves, and each other, to higher standards because every patient and their loved ones deserve the best experience during such a monumental time. This is what makes this team so special.”

For more information on RVNAhealth’s hospice and palliative care services, please call 203.438.5555 or visit our website.

 

Celebrating our Hospice Volunteers

Last week RVNAhealth celebrated Hospice Volunteer Appreciation Week. RVNAhealth, and all Medicare-certified hospice programs, are required by law to have 5% of service hours performed by volunteers. Why?  Because hospice care in the U.S. was founded by volunteers, and the commitment to the power, beauty, and altruism of volunteering remains. In the past 12 months our RVNAhealth team of 50 hospice volunteers have provided over 1,500 hours of help in in the office and in the field visiting patients and their family members. We are so fortunate to have these volunteers and Stephanie Peppe as our Hospice Volunteer Coordinator to manage all of the required training and visits. Thank you to all of our volunteers !

Hospice Volunteers Wanted! If you are interested in learning more about our hospice volunteer program – we’d love to hear from you.  As a hospice volunteer, you can feel good knowing you are doing meaningful work whether it be providing companionship to a patient, comfort to a family, or organization to the office. Learn more about hospice volunteering and watch our therapy dog, Sophia, in action! Email Stephanie Peppe, or call 203-438-5555 x1025 to get started today.

If you need a little more convincing, we are overjoyed to share a lovely poem written recently by Hospice Volunteer Pam Bruno about one of our patients. Pam has been visiting Dottie for over six months. They spend about five hours a week together and the two of them have built a wonderful bond. The poem is called, The Gift of Sitting with Dottie. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Palliative Care versus Hospice Care…Alike and Different

Every year the Healthcare industry recognizes National Hospice and Palliative Care in the same month. The two practices are celebrated together, as they share a similar philosophy on person-centered care and an interdisciplinary team approach focused on quality of life. But they also share misunderstandings about what each practice offers.

Hospice care is elected when a patient and family wish to go from a curative plan of care to one of comfort and caring. Hospice addresses a patient’s pain and symptom management, and overall well-being from an interdisciplinary approach – including physical, mental, social, and spiritual. This care supports both the patient and their family, helping bring focus to quality of life and allowing a patient to realize their wishes for their final life chapter.

Palliative care helps individuals with a serious illness, at any age and any stage of their illness. Patients do not require a terminal diagnosis and often still receive curative treatment for their condition. Palliative care provides a specialized team, including clinical, social workers, and pastoral care, who work with patients to help them understand their treatment options and can act as a central coordinator of care – which can be extremely beneficial in the often overwhelming early days following the diagnosis of a serious illness. Care is intended to improve quality of life and give a patient more control by improving their ability to cope with their disease.

Common illnesses addressed by both palliative and hospice care include cardiac and respiratory illnesses, cancer, Alzheimer’s, AIDS, kidney disease, and more. Both practices address symptoms for comfort, including pain, shortness of breath, depression, nausea, and difficulty sleeping, to name a few.  The largest difference is in the individual decision to continue treatment for disease, which palliative care addresses, or cease treatment and focus on quality of life and final wishes with hospice. With both practices, early intervention is most beneficial to the patient.

RVNAhealth offers both hospice and palliative care in the home or at a patient’s facility. If you have questions or would like to discuss a potential palliative or hospice care need, please contact us at 203.438.5555.