Five Tips to Support Those Who’ve Lost a Loved One in Service to our Country

There is greater significance to Memorial Day (May 30) than the start of the summer season. Memorial Day is a time to publicly show our respect for those who have lost their lives in defense of our country and to offer support to grieving loved ones.

As we mark Memorial Day this year, we are a country involved in conflicts abroad. The ongoing fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan continues to take a toll on our nation. Serious injuries and the untimely deaths of our brave service men and women remind us that life is precious.

Hospice and palliative care professionals – who help families cope with loss on a daily basis – share ideas on how to honor this sacrifice on Memorial Day and every day:

1. Acknowledge the day with a phone call or card to the family; tell a story you remember about the service member who has died and/or ask the family to share a story. Keeping their loved one’s memory alive is an important part of healthy grief and coping.

2. Offer to accompany or take the grieving person to the cemetery or other place of remembrance; people are sometimes reluctant to take advantage of such opportunities alone and will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

3. Make a donation in memory of the person who has died to a charity that was important to the service member or the family; this can be a powerful reminder to them that you remember and that you care.

4. Listen. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is to listen to what others think and feel. Supporting those who are grieving can be as simple as lending an ear or holding a hand.

5. Acknowledge your own feelings; share the range of thoughts and emotions you experience with someone you trust, but not necessarily with the grieving family. Whether it is pride or shame, grief or hope, sharing these feelings is important.

Memorial Day can be a time to reach out to each other and share in our communal experience of grief and loss.

Your community hospice can be a source of information on grief and bereavement.Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, also offers information on grief at caringinfo.org or by calling the HelpLine at 1-800-658-8898.

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Hospice and palliative care providers interested in learning how to address the unique needs of Veterans at the end of life, should learn more about We Honor Veterans, an pioneering program of NHPCO, in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),that focuses on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment.

Don't Wait to Talk About Hospice

With Release of PBS FrontlineSeries and Dartmouth Atlas Report, NHPCO Reminds People of the Importance of Advance Care Planning

(Alexandria, Va) – An intimate journey into the edge of life is how this evening’s episode of the PBS series Frontline has been described. Frontline’s "Facing Death" will air this evening (11/23/10) at 9:00pm on most PBS stations.

In this groundbreaking film, doctors, patients and families at one of New York’s biggest hospitals speak with remarkable candor about the increasingly difficult choices people are making at the end of life: when to remove a breathing tube in the ICU; when to continue treatment for patients with aggressive blood cancers; when to perform a surgery; and when to call for hospice.

This follows the release of a report from the Dartmouth Atlas Project looking at care for patients with advanced cancer at the end of life that identified gaps between patient wishes and care received.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization urges members of the public to learn about advance care planning and discuss wishes with family members.

“It’s an all too common situation. A family is at the bedside of a loved one who is seriously ill and nearing the end of life,” remarked J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO. “Each member of the family has a different idea of what should be done and what the patient would have wanted.”

Far too many people wait until they are in the midst of a health care crisis before thinking about what options are available or what care they or their loved ones would have wanted. Hospice professionals deal with these challenging situations every day – that’s what they are trained to do.

When a family is coping with a serious illness and a cure is no longer possible, hospice provides the type of care most people say they want at the end of life: comfort and dignity. Considered to be the model for high-quality, compassionate care for people with a life-limiting illness, hospice care includes expert medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support. Care is provided by an inter-disciplinary team of professionals and trained volunteers. The wishes of the patient and family are always at the center of care.

Most hospice care is provided in the home – where the majority of Americans have said they would want to be at this time. Care is also provided in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospice centers.

Care is paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans and HMOs.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reports that more than 1.56 million people received care from our nation’s hospices last year.

Hospice providers can help with information about care options and choices and ensure you live as fully as possible throughout your entire life. They will make sure your loved ones receive support as well.

One of the best ways to make sure you and your loved ones benefit fully from hospice, should you ever need this care, is to talk about it before it becomes an issue.

For more information on advance care planning and hospice, visit NHPCO’s Caring Connections at caringinfo.org or call the HelpLine at 1-800-658-8898.

Caring Connections is one of the recommended resources included with the education tools PBS has made available online for “Facing Death.”

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Contact:
Jon Radulovic
NHPCO, Vice President of Communications
Ph: 703-837-3139
jradulovic@nhpco.org

What Does the Future Care Continuum Look Like?

Create the future care continuum for those facing the end-of-life by lending your expertise to a conference devoted to creating a seamless system of care. Serve as faculty for the National Conference on Developing the Care Continuum: Innovative Models to Meet the Unique Care Needs of Patients/Families, in Boston, MA from August 5 – 7, 2010. National experts and local providers will gather in Boston to explore best practices and innovative models and your voice is needed. Submit a proposal for a 30, 60 or 90 minute session that demonstrates significant work and achievement in meeting one or more of the conference objectives and that features innovative program models, methods, strategies and approaches to care for children, adults and seniors in the last phase of life. The Call for Proposals is open through February 8 and will not be extended.

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

NHPCO Releases Updated Resource Manual

NHPCO Releases New Hospice Volunteer Resource Manual to Support Volunteer Programs and the Nation's 550,000 Hospice Volunteers

(Alexandria, Va) – The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reports that more than 550,000 individuals across the nation are giving of their time and talents as trained hospice volunteers. These volunteers contribute more than 25 million hours of service annually and reach 1.5 million patients and their family caregivers every year.

These figures, part of the NHPCO report Facts & Figures: Hospice Care in America were shared at NHPCO’s recent 6^th National Conference on Volunteerism and Family Caregiving held last weekend in Orlando, Fla.

As part of the conference events, NHPCO released the newly revised edition of The Hospice Volunteer Program Resource Manual.

Hospice organizations have a responsibility to ensure that volunteers are well trained and well cared for and this manual will contribute to those efforts.

“Hospice volunteers are individuals who have stepped forward to make a difference in the lives of other people in their communities and they are vital members of the hospice and palliative care interdisciplinary team,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO.

“The help, kindness and support that patients and families receive from hospice volunteers often profoundly changes their experience at the end of life.”

The manual has been updated to reflect the 2008 hospice Conditions of Participation—the federal requirements that all hospices must meet—and includes fresh ideas on recruitment, retention, training, volunteer manager skills development, program development, and more.

The publication includes a CD-ROM that assists managers in personalizing a volunteer program that meets the specific needs of an organization. Materials that can be adapted include competency checklists, surveys, policies and procedures, visit logs, job descriptions, training outlines, and more.

To ensure that volunteers remain an integral part of hospice care, it is federally mandated that at least five percent of patient care hours be provided by trained volunteers. Providers must track and document this carefully.

When a hospice invests in establishing a fully-functioning volunteer support program, the five percent rule becomes a guidepost, instead of burden.

“I know it costs money to run a well-coordinated volunteer program, however, on every level the benefits exceed the costs. Volunteers and their gift of service can have a huge impact on both the quality of the care your organization provides and its bottom line. A well-trained, engaged volunteer who spends time with patients and families can pick up on changes or challenges before they become crises,” noted Schumacher.

The Hospice Volunteer Program Resource Manual (item #820114) is available from the NHPCO Marketplace and may be ordered online, nhpco.org/marketplace, by phone at 1-800-646-6460, or by downloading and returning theVolunteer Manual order form.

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

Wishing You a Peaceful Holiday Season

As the year comes to a close, I would like to thank each one of you, our members, who have offered so much support to NHPCO throughout this very busy year. There have been issues, large and small, that we have had to confront together and I think we’ve risen to the challenge time and time again.

I am so proud of the spirit of collaboration that is so palpable within our community. For this willingness to work together and support one another, I am indeed grateful.

During this holiday season, I encourage you to cherish time spent with your families and loved ones. On a personal note, this holiday season will be particularly poignant for me as I prepare to welcome my first grandchild.

We care for people on a daily basis, most often during one of life’s most challenging journeys. I hope that every one of you find the same peace and kindness that you so generously provide to the people you serve. Enjoy the special gifts found in quiet moments of reflection and in unexpected acts of kindness.

On behalf of the NHPCO board of directors, our staff and our affiliate organizations, I wish you a peaceful holiday season and a happy New Year!

Don

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

Google Health and Caring Connections

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Caring Connections and Google Health Offer New Way to Access Advance Directives Online

Alexandria, VA – Ensuring that one’s healthcare wishes are known and will be honored in the event of a healthcare crisis is what advance care planning is all about. Today, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Caring Connections, a leading provider of advance care planning information, and Google Health™ have come together to increase the availability and accessibility of advance care planning information and resources online.

Advance directives, also known as living wills and healthcare power of attorney forms, allow an individual to express their wishes if they are in a medical crisis and unable to communicate. These documents provide specific information to healthcare professionals and can help guide family caregivers called upon to make decisions on behalf of someone who is not able to speak for themselves.

“How can medical professionals honor your healthcare wishes and preferences if they don’t know what they are?” said J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of NHPCO. “Advance directives are useless unless they are available during emergency healthcare situations. Google Health will make these documents accessible online and will eliminate a huge barrier of access during times of need.”

A new feature on Google Health enables users to download a free, state-specific advance directive and store the scanned documents securely online. This will help overcome a common barrier in emergency healthcare situations, where it can be difficult to access a patient’s advance directive.

Google Health is a secure, online Personal Health Record (PHR) that allows consumers to store, organize, and share important healthcare information. Google chose to work with Caring Connections because they are the only provider that offers free, state-specific, online advance directives. In the past three years, Caring Connections has distributed more than 2.5 million advance directive forms. They also provide information to help people understand advance care planning and begin conversations with family and healthcare professionals.

The process to store an advance directive form in Google Health is easy:

1. Go to your Google Health account at google.com/health, or create a new account if you don’t have one already.


2. Download and print the advance directive form for your state at caringinfo.org/googlehealth


3. Complete the form and sign it.


4. Scan the signed document and upload it to your Google Health account.

By taking time to do these simple steps, you are making your healthcare wishes available to those who may need them in a time of crisis. Not only is this an important step to take for your own well-being but it’s a gift for your family members and loved ones who may need to act on your behalf.

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Contact:
Jon Radulovic
NHPCO
Ph: 703-837-3139
jradulovic@nhpco.org
www.caringinfo.org
Caring Connections is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Learn more at CaringInfo.org.

Worldwide Palliative Care

New International Alliance Launched to Address Urgent Needs of Palliative Care Patients Worldwide

(Alexandria, Va – NHPCO) – Today marks the launch of the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance (WPCA), a new global action network designed to focus exclusively on hospice and palliative care development worldwide.

More than 100 million people and their families worldwide need palliative care and support each year, however, it is estimated that only seven per cent actually receive it. The need for palliative care is often greatest in low and middle income countries where more than 70 percent of all cancer deaths occur and where the HIV burden is the highest.

The WPCA is an alliance of national and regional hospice and palliative care organizations, bringing together people around the world with a shared vision of universal access to quality palliative care. This includes the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization based in Alexandria, Virginia. With more than 34,000 members, NHPCO is the preeminent leadership organization in the U.S. representing hospice and palliative care providers and professionals.

“WPCA will provide a global voice to achieve the goal of universal access to quality palliative care,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO, who is attending the launch of the WPCA at the 4th Worldwide Summit of National Associations of Hospice and Palliative Care in Vienna, Austria, today.

“Hospice and palliative care is still unavailable to many of those in need, especially in the developing world, with millions of people dying in pain and distress every year,” said Dr Cynthia Goh, co-chair of the WPCA, from the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network. “Only 15 percent of the world’s countries have hospice and palliative care that is integrated with general healthcare so the formation of the WPCA is a tremendously positive step forward in helping to meet an overwhelming need.”

National hospice and palliative care organizations have been informally meeting every two years since 2003 to address this need—this group has now formally become the WPCA.

“The formation of the WPCA signifies the coming together of global palliative care leaders. Members of the WPCA will work together to support the development of hospice and palliative care services throughout the world so that all who need such care can access it. The WPCA also offers an opportunity to celebrate our diversity and share and learn from that richness to help provide palliative care for millions of people worldwide,” commented David Praill, co-chair of the WPCA, from the UK’s Help the Hospices.

For more information about WPCA, visit www.helpthehospices.org.uk/wpca

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WPCA Contact:

Bansree Takodra

Help the Hospices

Ph: 020 7520 8251

b.takodra@helpthehospices.org.uk

NHPCO Contact:

Jon Radulovic

NHPCO

703-837-3139

jradulovic@nhpco.org

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

NHPCO Responds to Misleading Associated Press Quote

NHPCO Comments on Misleading Quote in Associated Press Article and Provides Helpful Information

Hospice is about Living Life as Fully as Possible

(Alexandria, Va) – The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization wants all people to know that hospice delivers the highest quality care and services to patients and family caregivers who are coping with life-limiting illness. A recent article carried by the Associated Press (“Assisted Suicide Presents Legal Quandary,” by Greg Bluestein, 03/02/09) carries a misinformed quote from an attorney who incorrectly compared hospice to suicide. This remark was incorrect and demonstrates a lack of understanding about the hospice philosophy of care.

“Hospice compassionately cares for people who are near the close of life – but hospice isn’t about how you die, it’s about how you live. Hospice and palliative care focuses on how dying persons and their loved ones live each day, providing comfort and guidance along the way,” said J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. “The quote from that news article demonstrates a callous disregard for all those who receive care, including family caregivers, from our nation’s hospice programs.”

Hospice is widely recognized as the model for quality, compassionate care for people facing a life-limiting illness or injury. Hospice and palliative care involve a team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to the person’s needs and wishes. Support is provided to the person's loved ones as well.

“A common misconception people have is that hospice means you’re ‘giving up’ or ‘that there’s nothing left for the doctor to do,’ and that’s absolutely wrong. Hospice is not about giving up but is about maximizing the quality of life, no matter how long that might be,” Schumacher said.

When cure is no longer possible, hospice provides the type of care most people say they want at the end of life – comfort and quality of life. The most common statement made by families who chose hospice for their loved one is, “we wish we had known about hospice sooner.”

• Hospice focuses on caring, not curing and, in most cases, care is provided in the person’s home.
• Hospice care also is provided in freestanding hospice centers, hospitals, and nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
• Hospice services are available to patients of any age, religion, race, or illness.
• Hospice provides bereavement support to families for 12 months following the death of their loved one.
• Hospice care is covered under Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans, HMOs, and other managed care organizations
• Research has shown the Medicare beneficiaries that opted for hospice care as opposed to other medical interventions when faced with a terminal illness lived on average 29 days longer than those who did not receive hospice care.

Foundational values of NHPCO include universal access to high quality hospice and palliative care, fully informed decision-making, mitigation of unwanted suffering, non-abandonment and support for the bereaved. NHPCO would encourage all those struggling with serious and life-limiting illness to fully explore hospice and palliative care services before they find themselves in a crisis situation involving options for care of a dying loved one. To learn more about hospice and palliative care, dealing with pain, and advance care planning, visit NHPCO’s Caring Connections at http://www.caringinfo.org/oror call 1-800-658-8898.

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Note: NHPCO’s position statement and narrative on physician assisted suicide is available via the Communications section of NHPCO’s Web site.

Media Contact: Jon Radulovic

NHPCO, Vice President of Communications

703-837-3139

jradulovic@nhpco.org

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