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2020 virtual hospice memorial service

12/18/2020

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Please join us in remembering those we've lost over the last 12 months by viewing our Virtual Memorial Service. 
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New Social Worker

6/4/2020

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Picture
​Hello everyone,
 
My name is Nick, and I am the new social worker for Generation Hospice. I am currently convalescing from an ear ailment, so I thought I might take some time to share some of my thoughts on hospice and why I am so passionate about it.
 
When I was in school, I was something of an outlier. Most of my fellow graduate students wanted to be advocates, program administrators, or therapists. I was there with one goal in mind: to become a hospice social worker. I hope that by explaining why, you might get a better understanding of hospice and why it is so essential in our modern world.
 
I grew up around hospice, so in some way the “hospice philosophy” was like second nature to me. My mom was a hospice nurse who eventually became the director of her agency. Most of her friends were in hospice work, and so many of the adults I had contact with were from the field. Even my wife has a hospice connection: her mother is a hospice nurse who worked with my mom and they decided to introduce us.
 
What is the hospice philosophy? It is nothing less than that every human being deserves peace, comfort, and dignity at the end of life. That every person should have the option to face death in the manner that they choose. It is about self-determination and respect.
 
In Western culture in particular, there is a fear of death that leads us to hide from it until it’s too late. Then we end up in a hospital, hooked up to machines that force us to breathe with no control over how the end of our life plays out. It is devastating for patients and families alike and leads to needless suffering that nevertheless has the same outcome.
 
Hospice says that death is a natural part of life, so rather than fear it we should prepare for it. When the time comes we can make the journey at home with our family present, comfortable and enjoying the remainder of our life to its fullest extent. And that is really what hospice is all about: living, not dying.
 
I will finish with a quick anecdote. I was at the ear specialist yesterday, and he was suctioning my ears (yes, it is as bad as it sounds). He was making small talk the way doctors do and asked what I do for a living. I told him I am a hospice social worker. His tone grew somber, and he said “wow, good for you, that must be hard.” This from a man who was sucking the most evil stuff I’ve ever seen from my ear cavity. While I appreciated his sentiment, I think it stems from a common misconception of hospice. Yes, hospice - and death - are hard. They are sad. But they can also be one of the most beautiful and rewarding journeys a person can take. Patients get to die peacefully and on their own terms, and families get to partake in the journey in a very intimate way and know that they gave their loved ones a precious gift. And the fact that I get to be a part of that in any way is an honor and a privilege, one that I am lucky enough to do for a living.
 
 
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Debunking the common myths of hospice

5/20/2020

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THE COMMON MYTHS OF HOSPICE
  • Myth #1:Hospice is a place. Hospice care takes place wherever the need exists — usually the patient’s home. About 70 percent of hospice care takes place where the patient lives.
  • Myth # 2:Hospice is only for people with cancer. More than one-half of hospice patients nation-wide have diagnoses other than cancer. In urban areas, hospices serve a large number of HIV/AIDS patients. Increasingly, hospices are also serving families coping with the end-stages of chronic diseases, like emphysema, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular diseases.
  • Myth #3: Hospice is only for old people. Although the majority of hospice patients are older, hospices serve patients of all ages. Many hospices offer clinical staff with expertise in pediatric hospice care. Almost 20% of hospice patients are under 65 years of age.
  • Myth #4: Hospice is only for dying people. As a family-centered concept of care, hospice focuses as much on the grieving family as on the dying patient. Most hospices make their grief services available to the community at large, serving schools, churches and the workplace.
  • Myth #5: Hospice can only help when family members are available to provide care. Recognizing that terminally ill people may live alone, or with family members unable to provide care, many hospices coordinate community resources to make home care possible. Or they help to find an alternative location where the patient can safely receive care.
  • Myth #6: Hospice is for people who don’t need a high level of care. Hospice is serious medicine. Most hospices are Medicare-certified, requiring that they employ experienced medical and nursing personnel with skills in symptom control. Hospices offer state-of-the-art palliative care, using advanced technologies to prevent or alleviate distressing symptoms.
  • Myth #7: Hospice is only for people who can accept death. While those affected by terminal illness struggle to come to terms with death, hospices gently help them find their way at their own speed. Many hospices welcome inquiries from families who are unsure about their needs and preferences. Hospice staff are readily available to discuss all options and to facilitate family decisions.
  • Myth # 8: Hospice care is expensive. Most people who use hospice are over 65 and are entitled to the Medicare Hospice Benefit. This benefit covers virtually all hospice services and requires little, if any, out-of-pocket costs. This means that there are no financial burdens incurred by the family, in sharp contrast to the huge financial expenses at the end of life which may be incurred when hospice is not used.
  • Myth # 9: Hospice is not covered by managed care. While managed care organizations (MCOs) are not required to include hospice coverage, Medicare beneficiaries can use their Medicare hospice benefit anytime, anywhere they choose. They are not locked into the end-of-life services offered or not offered by the MCOs. On the other hand, those under 65 are confined to the MCOs services, but most provide at least some coverage for hospice.
  • Myth # 10: Hospice is for when there is no hope. When death is in sight, there are two options: submit without hope or live life as fully as ever until the end. The gift of hospice is its capacity to help families see how much can be shared at the end of life through personal and spiritual connections often left behind. It is no wonder that many family members can look back upon their hospice experience with gratitude, and with the knowledge that everything possible was done towards a peaceful death.
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    Karen Keller has been the owner of Generation Healthcare for over 15 years.

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Generation Healthcare, Inc.
26 N. Westmoor Ave, Newark, OH 43055
(740) 348-1330
Photo used under Creative Commons from RichardBH
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