When is it Time for Hospice?

Hospice brings compassion, dignity and hope to people nearing life’s end

(Alexandria, Va) – There is a point when cure is no longer possible for someone with a life-limiting illness, but that does not mean a patient and family must abandon all hope. Through hospice care, there is still hope for a peaceful death; hope to spend final months, weeks or days free of pain; and hope for quality time with loved ones in the familiar surroundings of home.

“While there isn’t one specific point in an illness when a person should ask about hospice care, many hospice professionals would suggest that a person think about hospice long before he or she is in a medical crisis,” advises J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. “In fact, learning about palliative care and hospice as options is something that should happen early in the course of a serious illness and not just in the final days.”

Hospices utilize a team of professionals and trained volunteers to provide expert medical care, pain-and-symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support to patients and family caregivers. All care is tailored to the patient’s needs and wishes.

Hospice helps patients and families focus on living as fully as possible.

“Hospice professionals can be important resources for patients and families, they can help a person figure out what goals are important and help them get their arms around the fact that their life may be coming to a close,” noted Schumacher.

Considered to be the model for high-quality, compassionate care for people nearing the end of life, hospice offers the services and support that Americans want when coping with life-limiting illness.

Last year, hospice cared for more than 1.56 million patients in the US. NHPCO estimates that 41.6 percent of all deaths in the US were under the care of a hospice program last year.

Facts about hospice:

• Most hospice care is provided in the home. Care is also provided in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospice centers
• Hospice care is fully covered by Medicare, private insurance, and by Medicaid in most states.
• Hospice care is not just for people with cancer. Hospices serve those with advanced Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, lung disease, HIV/AIDS – anyone who is facing a life-limiting illness.
• The hospice benefit pays for medications and medical equipment related to the illness.
• Hospice care is available as long as a doctor believes the patient is eligible.
• Hospice care can include complementary therapies, such as music and art, to bring additional comfort.
• Hospice’s offer grief support to the family following the death of a loved one.

“Ideally, a patient would receive hospice care for the final months of life – not just the final days,” stated Schumacher. “One of the most common sentiments from families who have been helped by hospice care is that they wish they had known about hospice sooner.”

A recent report from the Dartmouth Atlas Project looking at care for patients with advanced cancer at the end of life identified gaps between patient wishes and care received. This highlights the need for people to learn about all options available for care.

Additional research published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found that Medicare beneficiaries who received hospice care lived on average 29 days longer than those who did not opt for hospice near the end of life.

For more information, contact your local hospice, visit NHPCO’s Caring Connections website at caringinfo.org, or call the HelpLine at 1-800-658-8898.

Don Schumacher Interviewed on Marketplace

President/CEO Don Schumacher was interviewed on public radio’s Marketplace about current issues in end-of-life care. Produced by American Public Media, Marketplace is broadcast internationally and is available online. Part one, of “End of life care: More or less of it?” was broadcast 07/20/10.

Part two of the story, “Better Training for Better End-of-Life Care,” looks at palliative care and visits San Diego Hospice and Institute for Palliative Medicine. Marketplace links to materials from NHPCO’s Caring Connections as helpful resources.

The story also features a photo slide show.

New Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill

Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill Written by the American Bar Association

Guide Commissioned by NHPCO and Created by American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging

(Alexandria, Va) -- The onset of a serious illness or injury can affect much more than a person’s health. Knowing what steps to take to get one’s financial and legal affairs in order is often vitally important not only to the affected individual, but to his or her loved ones as well.

The "Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill" -- a project by the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging commissioned by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization -- was designed for both the seriously ill individual and those caring for someone who is seriously ill. The guide explains “Seven Key Steps” in a brief, clear way while offering additional tips and resources for readers looking for more detailed information and guidance.

The recently released guide addresses societal issues that have gained prominent media attention in recent years, such as paying for health care, managing health and personal decisions, and patient rights. In addition, the Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill sheds light on recent legislative and regulatory changes, such as the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provides a 35 percent subsidy of the COBRA premium for up to nine months.

“The Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill is a great resource for anyone facing a serious illness. The book provides critical tools that help readers understand their options, make informed decisions, and minimize some of the anxiety they may be feeling about their financial and legal affairs at this stage of life,” said ABA President Carolyn Lamm.

J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of NHPCO added, “Hospice and palliative care organizations are frequently asked for information regarding end-of-life planning and decision-making. This guide will be a tremendous resource to them as well as faith communities, caregiver organizations, aging service providers, hospitals and others who work to support people living with a serious illness.

Ellen M. Klem, staff attorney of the ABA Commission on Law and the Aging, reminded readers that the book does not give legal advice, but will “arm readers with knowledge about the options they have during this difficult time.”

The views expressed in the book have not been approved by the House of Delegates or the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association and, accordingly, should not be construed as representing the policy of the ABA.

"Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill" is available online at the Caring Connections Web site.

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With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

NHPCO is the oldest and largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. NHPCO’s mission is to lead and mobilize social change for improved care at the end of life. NHPCO's Caring Connections provides free resources and information to help people make decisions about end-of-life care and services before a crisis. Learn more at caringinfo.org or by calling the HelpLine at 1-800-658-8898.

Media Contact:
Tina Lanier, ABA
Phone:202-662-1792
tlanier@staff.abanet.org

Or:

Jon Radulovic, NHPCO
Phone: 703-837-3139
jradulovic@nhpco.org

For more information visit, http://www.nhpco.org