By Tanna Friday
For The Tribune
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, and hospice and palliative care programs across the country are reaching out to raise awareness about hospice and palliative care.
Hospice is not a place but is high-quality care that enables patients and families to focus on living as fully as possible despite a life-limiting illness. Palliative care brings this holistic model of care to people earlier in the course of a serious illness.
Tuesday Affinity Home Hospice came before the council in support of the proclamation with the goal of educating the community of the purpose of hospice.
“I just want to thank the city council for allowing Affinity to come here tonight for the proclamation and proclaiming November as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month,” says Eric Green with Affinity Home Hospice.
Councilor Jef Freeman read the proclamation aloud and shared how hospice impacted his family personally.
“Every year, nearly 1.5 million people living with a life-limiting illness receive care from the nation’s hospice programs in communities throughout the United States, yet more than 40 percent of Medicare beneficiaries received care for 14 days or less, considered too short a time to fully benefit from the range of services that hospice offers,” says Freeman. “Each year, hospice saves Medicare more than $2 billion by providing solutions for physicians, care to patients and comfort to families.”
“I will add from personal note,” says Freeman, “I have experienced this now three times in my family. I commend the hospice providers. In my opinion, they are beyond professionals, but instead missionaries to some of us.”
Hospice and palliative care combines the highest level of quality medical care with the emotional and spiritual support that families need most when facing the end of life. Through this specialized quality care, we see many patients and their families experience more meaningful moments together. Hospice helps them focus on living despite terminal diagnoses.