Submittet by Beacon of Hope Hospice
People facing a fatal
illness find themselves with a myriad of complex decisions regarding
their medical care and end-of-life choices. Hospice has become an
increasingly popular option as a more peaceful and cost-effective
solution for end-of-life care. Many prefer to remain at home among
friends and family with palliative care, rather than spend their final
days in and out of the hospital. “I don’t know about you, but when I’m
sick and not feeling good, I’d much rather be at home,” said J. Donald
Schumacher, President and Chief Executive of the National Hospice and
Palliative Care Organization, a nonprofit group of hospice and
palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. “I
think dying is the same way. If you’re going to die, it’s better to be
in your own environment and away from the high-technology setting of the
hospital.”
However, there is often a period of time when Medicare
qualifications for care have not yet been met, or there are improvements
in a person’s life-limiting condition. The anxiety associated with an
end-of-life diagnosis can be exacerbated by feeling a lack of control
over finalizing the decisions that they know they want to make. Beacon
of Hope Hospice recognizes the concern and disquiet that this situation
brings, and they have created a way to alleviate this apprehension. The
Beacon of Hope Connections Program has been developed to serve patients
who choose our hospice services but do not yet meet Medicare
qualifications, or have been discharged from hospice due to improvements
in their life-limiting condition. Patients who are enrolled in this
program receive ongoing support from our Connections Program Coordinator
until hospice care is needed.
The Connections Program Coordinator
remains in telephone contact with the patient and/or caregiver,
providing support and resources to them until their clinical status
qualifies them for admission into hospice services. A clinical staff
member remains in contact with the patient’s physician. This
complimentary service is provided with no associated fees. The program
is funded by the National Hospice Partnership Foundation, a
not-for-profit affiliate of Beacon of Hope Hospice.
Choosing to
participate in this program can bring reassurance to the individual who
wishes to know that the important decisions regarding end-of-life care
have already been made, leaving the mind free to focus on the family and
friends that matter most.
To learn more, please visit www.BeaconofHopeHospice.org or call 1-888-932-2732.