When is hospice right for me?

When is hospice right for me?

If someone were to tell you, “You have 6 months to live. I think it is time to call hospice,” what would you be thinking? Whether that person is your doctor, your family member, or your friend you will probably be thinking, “How do you know?” I know if someone told me this, I would be the first person to wonder beyond their statement and consider options to heal my disease. I would not want to give up. I would not let hospice shorten my time here on earth. Unfortunately, these assumptions go through too many minds and are in fact, false.

First of all, when that person tells you, “you have 6 months to live,” what they are really talking about is the disease, not you. Based on the scientific make-up of your diagnosis, if it progresses on its normal schedule then it will take 6 months for the disease to run its course. We all know that science doesn’t always prove “normal”. People live shorter than the 6 month diagnosis and people live longer than the 6 month diagnosis. It is completely normal for those thoughts to enter your mind, but remember hospice focuses on comfort care and improving the quality of life. By no means do we want you to give up! The only thing we want you to give up is to give up being in pain. If you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, definitely give hospice a call to see if they can help you.

Next, healthcare professionals and peers alike can all understand, if not relate, to the shock and confusion that enters the minds of people when they hear those words, “6 months or less to live” or “hospice”. The one point we want to emphasize is that hospice does not mean give up or shortening life. Hospice is a choice that if selected includes you (or your loved one) in the plan of care every step of the way. It is an option which surrounds the patient and family with physical, emotional, social and spiritual support from a team of specialize healthcare professionals that can give care and services that others may not be able to provide. With no intentions of shortening or extending a life, Hospice is here to make those final days on earth as comfortable and peaceful as possible. We allow the disease to run its “normal” process intervening only with pain and symptom management, comfort care and support as much or little as requested and needed warranted by a physician.  

We have found that the average length of stay in hospice across the United States is 67.4 days from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in 2010, which is down several days on average from 2009 and 2008. Only 67.4 days, when our services are available for 180 (and sometimes more as warranted by a physician), is very unfortunate. We could be assisting people who are in pain much longer than given the opportunity. Now, we are very sure that these numbers reflect the scenario I painted at the beginning of this blog. While we understand the uncertainty, we hope that through education and healthcare professionals’ guidance we can get patients and families to accept that hospice is a good thing and is only here as a special healthcare option to enhance the quality of life of patient and family.

Now, how do you know if it is time for hospice besides the fact that the doctor said you are eligible and they have certified you hospice appropriate? There are three general criteria:

1.        When a patient has a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less

2.       Comfort care and symptom management are the primary focus

3.       Curative treatment is no longer the patient’s choice or option

When all of the above are true, it is time to call hospice. We are there to answer any questions you have and provide excellent care to respect the dignity and life of patients and families. Remember, it is always ok to graduate, seek curative treatment or the patient has taken a turn for the better and no longer needs hospice services, but should that not be the case we hope that when someone recommends us and says, “I think it is time to call hospice,” patients and families can see the benefits of pain and symptom management, comfort care and support and give us the privilege of caring for you.  

After deciding hospice is right for you (beyond your doctor just recommending it), understand want you to feel welcome, at peace and ready. We feel that no one should go through the dying process alone and when that time comes hospice is right here for you, facing the future together. Call hospice today to learn more about hospice services. Our specialized team will help you every step of the way, prepare you for thing you may not expect, and help relieve the unknowns and stresses associated with terminal illness. Hospice can help!  

http://www.nhpco.org/files/public/Statistics_Research/2011_Facts_Figures.pdf

Live well, laugh often, and love much,

Christine Juehne

Hospice of Southern Illinois

Community Education

1-800-233-1708

www.hospice.org

Apply big inspiration to everyday issues

While I truly love what I do at Hospice of Southern Illinois, there are a couple times a year when my job is an absolute blast and a wonderful growing experience. Sunday was one of those days. Not only did I get some really great information, but I got a whole lot of inspiration! Inspiration is the something that gives people hope, and that is exactly what I want to share with you today: hope and inspiration.

Sunday I was working at a Healthy Women Event in Collinsville, Illinois. The event offered a variety of free health screenings, information on healthy living, and information on healthcare services. A special guest was in store that I was excited about, but didn’t have many expectations good, bad or indifferent. When 2:00 p.m. approached, I found a friend and waited for this “famous TV personality” to start her motivational talk as the emcee announced, “Welcome Ali Vincent, winner of season 5’s Biggest Loser and first female contestant of the show.”

Ali walked out flaunting her strong arms wearing a blue tank top and showing off her muscular legs in a tight mini skirt and high heels. She had a confidence about her and then as I listened to her speak I realized she struggled with her quality of life just as people do all over the world. She was just like any of us, but now more confident and knowledgeable than ever! What happened? Yes, she lost over a hundred pounds and it had everything to do with that, but it also had nothing to do with that. What happened? I would like to share some great points of hers with you now. While I cannot recall every word that came out of her mouth, and no she didn’t give us her secret workout recipe because she said there isn’t one, she did give us was a dose of hope and inspiration. Here is what happened.

Throughout her journey she began to shift her thoughts from why is this happening to me, to this has to happen to me. As the scale reflected a lighter Ali, her mind reflected a bigger lifestyle change. As the choices for a better life seemed impossible before, she chose to make them possible in her future. What happened was not only a physical transformation, but a mental transformation and that is exactly what I want you to take away from this. She got big inspiration to win the title of Biggest Loser, from an everyday issue like being overweight. She gave us inspiration because she struggled just like we do. She gave us in spiration because she made choices, believed and talked about it. She gave us inspiration because she made it possible! If she can do it, we can do it! Take her hope and inspiration and impliment it. Yes I want you to implement it for your goals in fitness and goals in your job or any goals you have, but consider it even the everyday issues. Issues like your future; future as in end-of-life. Make a choice for a better quality of life at the end of life.    

First of all, she made a point that we should believe in the impossible. For example, the people of Biggest Loser said it was not possible for a female to win the show because a female who had the same weight and exerted the same effort as a male, the male would always be able to come out ahead. Ali said, “Possible! She just had to work harder than the male then!”

She made another point that we should tell people about our goals and they will support you, even people you never thought would. For example, (Ali was on the pink team with her mother, just so you know.) when she was working out at home in the local gym (because she was kicked of the show during game-play but later got the opportunity to return to the ranch) she would always wear her pink shirt happily representing the color that represented females. She began noticing girls everywhere were rooting for her too. Possible! They were wearing pants that said, “Team Pink,” on the back. (Definitely not associated with the famous Victoria Secret Line, but rooting for her!)

The most important point I took away was that she said she never even thought it was possible until she was ready to accept it and once she realized impossible was a choice, she did accepted the possible! She could feel it in her every step, taste it with every bite and imagine it with every thought. After she accepted the challenge to believe in everything she deserved, she knew it was all POSSIBLE! At the end of her presentation she challenged us all to go get a goal and then tell someone about it.

Now after hearing her speak, I would like to extend her challenge to you. It may not be easy and it may not be fun, but whether you are a Biggest Loser like Ali, avid gardener, food enthusiast, stylish fashion-ista, sport junkie, healthcare advocate, politician, or whatever defines who you are, take the challenge; Make end of life choices; believe in your end-of-life options; tell people about your end-of-life options. Take the challenge! Make a choice for a better quality of life at the end of life and then talk about it! 

Live well, laugh often, and love much,

Christine Juehne

Hospice of Southern Illinois

Community Education

1-800-233-1708

www.hospice.org

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