Heart to Heart Hospice Observes National Hospice Week, Nov. 11-15
Week focuses on valuable role of hospice, including specialized care for veterans
Plano, Texas – The week of Nov. 11-15 Heart to Heart Hospice will recognize National Hospice Week, designated by the National Alliance for Care at Home as a time to focus on the incredible value of end-of-life care and the compassionate caregivers who serve patients and their families.
As the nation also celebrates Veterans Day on Nov. 11, it is a fitting reminder that those who have served America in the Armed Forces deserve a compassionate and peaceful ending to their life stories. Heart to Heart Hospice is committed to providing specialized comfort and support for veterans through its participation in the We Honor Veterans program, which works to increase access to care for veterans and to meet their unique needs.
An integral part of the care-at-home community, hospice is performing an increasingly significant role in the country’s healthcare system as the U.S. population continues to age at an unprecedented rate. The hospice benefit serves about 1.72 million Medicare beneficiaries a year.
Hospice offers comfort and dignity to people facing life-limiting illnesses, allowing them to stay in their homes (where surveys show more than 80 percent of Americans prefer to be). Using a personalized care plan for patients and their families, hospice provides pain management and symptom control, as well as emotional, spiritual, and practical support, including bereavement. An interdisciplinary team of professionals delivers care in whatever place the patient calls home.
“In taking hospice care to our patients, wherever they are, we work together to reduce ER visits and break the cycle of unnecessary hospitalizations,” said Kelly Mitchell, chief executive officer of Heart to Heart Hospice. “And while many people only consider hospice in the final days of life, hospice is ideally suited for patients and families for the final months.”
Citing heart disease (the nation’s leading cause of death) and its gradual decline, Mitchell noted how hospice care is often underutilized. “It’s important to have conversations about end-of-life care in a timely manner,” he said. “Our caregivers are trained to educate patients and loved ones on disease progression and to anticipate and respond quickly to any changes in condition.”
Noting that hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance, Mitchell said every American eligible for hospice who wants the service should be able to access quality care.
More information about hospice care and advance care planning is available from Heart to Heart Hospice or at CaringInfo.org.
About Heart to Heart Hospice
Heart to Heart Hospice, founded in 2003, is one of the largest private providers of hospice care in the United States. Headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Heart to Heart provides
a broad range of hospice services to patients with life-limiting illnesses across 63 locations in Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas. At Heart to Heart, we understand both the physical and emotional challenges for our patients and their loved ones, and our compassionate care team is committed to providing them with what they need most: comfort, support, and dignity. Learn more about Heart to Heart Hospice.