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November is National Hospice, Palliative Care Month
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Local organizations want to raise awareness of the help that's available for those diagnosed with a life-limiting illness.
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and hospices are shining a light on available services and care issues.
"Hospice care is for those who have a life-limiting illness. Patients can be any age and have any diagnosis such as: Heart disease, lung disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease or AIDS," said Hospice of Texarkana Inc. Director of Development Stefanie W. Brazile. "Hospice care can begin when two physicians believe that if the disease follows its normal progression, the patient has six-months or less to live. Hospice is truly wholistic care because we are concerned with the patient's physical, emotional and spiritual comfort."
Hospice of Texarkana's Director of Social Services Amy Glann said people diagnosed with a terminal illness face numerous challenges and many times they are at a loss on how to proceed. Their hope is to step in and make things more manageable thus avoiding a worsening of the situation.
"Because they've been told they have a life-limiting illness, they are grappling with personal issues along with family issues and they feel an urgency to deal with things that they may have put on the backburner. Sometimes, because stress is so high because they've been told they have a terminal illness, things are forced to come to a head which can further complicate the situation," Glann said.
Brazile said there is additional stress added as decisions and situations compound the terminal diagnosis.
"They do not feel well--many have pain and fatigue, sometimes because of the medicines needed to relieve the pain, and helplessness. Because they cannot fulfill all of the daily activities they did when healthy, others must step-in and help them with basic responsibilities--housekeeping, parenting, bill paying, preparing meals. (They) sometimes feel guilt because of the care they need," said Brazile. "They experience grief because of the loss of basic abilities and the knowledge that their life is limited. Often, there is financial stress because of medical expenses and because they can no longer work (for younger patients). Also, there is the family dynamic where each person is experiencing anticipatory grief while trying to support the daily needs of the patient. There is also the spiritual aspect: Many patients look to their faith for comfort, answers, and hope when they know that their life is limited. Others experience spiritual struggles of questions and doubting."
Hospice care offers many services for patients and families dealing with end-of-life needs.
"We provide: Nurses who are available 24-7 by phone and make scheduled visits usually twice a week and up to daily depending on the patient's needs. The nurses report changes to the patient's physician who decides which medications will relieve the patients symptoms; Home Health Aides assist with personal care; Licensed Medical Social Workers assist with counseling/consoling the patient and family and can also find resources and other community programs, if needed; trained chaplains can visit for spiritual support; trained volunteers can visit the patient for socialization and/or to allow the caregiver to leave the home and run errands," she said. "We (also) provide ongoing adult grief support services to our patients and the community at large at no cost. We support children (and) youth through The Good Grief Club which is celebrating 10 years during the 09-10 school year. Our Bereavement Counselor travels to area schools to meet with students."
Brazile said hospice care doesn't focus on healing the patient but tries to make the remaining days as peaceful as possible.
"(Palliative care is) treatment to relieve, rather than cure, symptoms caused by a disease. (It) can help people live more comfortably, she said "When a person becomes a hospice patient, they choose palliative care, instead of curative treatments, until the end of their life. Our goal is to provide pain relief and consolation, under the oversight of their physician, so they can live as fully as possible."
There are more than five hospice care providers listed in and around the Texarkana area and each offers a myriad of services.
J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization , said more than 1.4 million people receive care from these kinds of organizations in this country each year.
Local hospice organizations want to make known the availability of this care in the area so that patients can get support in their time of need.
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