Page 33 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Winter 2020- Online Magazine
P. 33
SENIOR RESOURCES
HOSPICE CARE
is also for
Caregivers
& Families
By Ronald J. Crossno, MD, FAAFP, FAAHPM,
Kindred Hospice Chief Medical Officer and National Medical Director
ospice is widely recognized patient. The entire IDT, including may include traditional blood-
for providing high quality the nurse and physician, social relatives and relatives by marriage,
Hcare for the patient workers, spiritual care counselors, as well as non-traditional family
approaching end-of-life, but it is hospice aides, volunteers, and members, including significant
also more than that. Unique among others, works with the patient, and others, caregivers – anyone who
Medicare benefits, the regulations the family regarding coping. They is important to the patient. The
governing hospice specify the unit educate on the terminal condition hospice team will work with the
of care to be both the patient and and the dying process. The emphasis patient to identify who is considered
the family. Today, holistic person- goes beyond the traditional hospice family and, if needed, help with
centered care emphasizes the goals of physical comfort for the paperwork for HIPAA compliance
importance of the person’s entire patient, but also acceptance of the and recognition by the local
environment and living conditions, dying process and psychosocial, jurisdiction in which the patient
including their family and emotional, and spiritual support for resides. Caregivers may become
caregivers. This hospice requirement patient, family, and other caregivers. family, as defined here, and family
was codified into hospice at its often become caregivers. Even when
inception in the U.S. in 1983 in Bereavement services are also caregivers are not family, they
recognition that the dying process provided. These include pre- also often need support which the
directly impacts the patient’s bereavement (i.e. anticipating and hospice IDT provides.
family, how the family and other getting ready in advance of the
caregivers are coping, and how their actual loss) for both the patient and Support for the family continues
involvement with care impacts how family. Patients often grieve for even after the patient’s death. We
the patient will do. themselves and need this support. know that our patients and families
Family members’ grief is greatest value this. For patients with a
A nurse case-manager coordinates just after the death but may persist. terminal prognosis, hospice remains
care with the hospice physician, the Family bereavement support is the gold standard.
rest of the hospice interdisciplinary offered for at least 13 months after
team (IDT), and the attending the patient’s death, ensuring an
physician (if different from overlap of the first anniversary of Questions about hospice care? Call
the hospice physician.) Such the loss. Kindred Hospice in Amarillo at
coordination includes the medical 806-372-7696 or Kindred Hospice
aspects of the patient’s care and Who is the family? In simplest in Lubbock at 806-748-1041. Learn
also involves the family to the terms, it is whoever the patient about our family of hospice care
extent desired and permitted by the identifies as their family. This providers at curohealthservices.com.
Amarillo Senior Link 33
