The Faces of
Caring
Throughout our
lives, all of us encounter difficult and challenging situations.
Most of us can remember someone who helped during those times - a grandparent,
a special teacher or a friend. The
recollections of these “faces of caring” bring comfort
and calm in the midst of crisis.
Yet when recalling
end-of-life situations of those we love, many of us have different
recollections. These memories may include the hurt on the face of a loved one
in pain; the sorrow on the face of a family member who
did not get the opportunity to say goodbye; the stress on the faces of those making difficult decisions about end-of-life
choices without guidance or support.
Franklin County Home Health Agency's (FCHHA)
Hospice & Palliative Care
programs offer excellent
care and compassion during one of life's most challenging
times. Hospice and palliative care provide help with pain and symptom control, support
dignity, and offer spiritual and emotional care for persons with incurable illnesses and their loved ones.
Professionally trained staff help to facilitate communication between family members about
advance care
planning, end-of-life wishes and decision making.
Hospice and palliative care
puts a “face”
on quality end-of-life care…the faces of nurses, doctors, social workers,
spiritual caregivers, homecare aides and volunteers who work so closely with
patients and their families to provide services and support
when its needed most.
Hospice Facts and Figures:
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Hospice and
palliative care is an option for those with illnesses other than cancer,
including HIV/AIDS and dementia.
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For twenty-five
years, hospice has been a fully covered benefit under Medicare. Hospice
is also covered by Medicaid, most private insurance plans, HMO's and other
managed care organization.
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More people choose
hospice and palliative care each year. The National Hospice and
Palliative Care Organization reports that there are more than 4,000 hospice
programs in the United States, and these programs cared for more than 1.2
million people last year.
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Hospice and
palliative care can take place in a variety of settings, including private
homes, hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
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Approximately 400,000
hospice volunteers contribute more than 18 million hours per year nationwide.
Locally, the Hospice Volunteers of FCHHA provided more than 1,372 hours of
volunteer services to patients and their families in the past year.
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November is
National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. FCHHA
kicks-off celebrations
with a
Community Remembrance Service on
the first Sunday in November.
FCHHA offers a regular Grief and Recovery Support Group open to anyone in the
community who has experienced the loss of a loved
one and would like to talk with others who are grieving.
The Support Group is held on the first and third Wednesday of each
month at 7:00 p.m. at FCHHA in St. Albans.
