November is National Hospice & Palliative Care Month! It’s a time to recognize the value that end of life care can bring to an experience that most people dread. It’s also a time to remember the symptom management approach that palliative care offers, adding comfort and quality to someone’s life.
It’s not that we’re celebrating death. We’re celebrating individual lives. We’re enhancing the quality of life for people who want to make the most of the rest of their lives.
This year’s theme is:
The models for hospice and palliative care are unique. The care of a patient is designed with the health of body, mind, and spirit as its focus. We care for patients holistically, as complex beings with very individual needs.
That’s why our care teams are composed of people who have unique skills. Nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, aides, doctors, bereavement coordinators, volunteer coordinators, and volunteers – all these team members bring their special gifts to the group. You might also see pet therapists, speech and physical therapists, massage therapists, and music therapists as part of an interdisciplinary team.
We manage what Dame Cicely Saunders (founder of the modern hospice movement) called “total pain”. Pain can affect all the components of a person’s being. Pain can be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Our teams are designed to assist with all of it. All the symptoms that can prevent a patient from enjoying his life are managed. It might include shortness of breath, depression, anxiety, delirium, agitation, GI symptoms, and more.
And we don’t just care for the patient. We care for the family. That group (or individual) gets support and psychosocial care that can see them through not just the daily care of a patient, but through the death and the time of grieving afterwards.
If you have a need for hospice or palliative care, contact local agencies in your area. The staff can explain how you or a loved one might benefit from hospice or palliative care.
If you’re interested in serving in your community, maybe volunteering at a local hospice would be a good fit for you. Our volunteers have special connections with patients and their families. It’s a very special part of hospice care. (Click here to find out how.)
If you’re a hospice or palliative care professional, know that your work is honored during National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Your dedication to the care of your patients isn’t forgotten.
No matter who you are, or where you are in your hospice journey, You are the Heart of Hospice.