November is National Hospice & Palliative Care Month

Over these 40 years, Samaritan – a regional leader in hospice and palliative care – has heard many patients’ families say, “I wish we had called sooner.” A lack of awareness and understanding of hospice and palliative care is the number one reason that families put off making the call. This November, as we embark on National Hospice & Palliative care month, Samaritan encourages you to educate yourself so that you can be empowered to make healthcare decisions for yourself and for those you care about.

Defining Hospice & Palliative Care

• Hospice care provides quality, compassionate care for patients living with serious illness who are no longer undergoing curative treatment with a six month or less prognosis. An interdisciplinary team helps patients develops a care plan that centers on the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients, and all those who care about them.
• Palliative care is a medical specialty for patients living with a serious illness. Patients may be cured or may live with the condition for a long time. Palliative care can be received alongside curative treatment to relieve pain and manage symptoms.

Both are designed to improve the quality of life a patients and their loved ones.

Hospice Myths and Facts:

• Hospice Myth: Hospice care is expensive.
• Hospice Fact: Many hospice patients are over age 65 so they’re entitled to Medicare’s hospice benefit, which covers services in the plan of care.
• Palliative Myth: You can’t receive treatment on palliative care.
• Palliative Fact: Patients receiving palliative care that is not hospice care can also receive other types of curative treatment for their illness.

Follow Samaritan on Facebook to learn more throughout National Hospice & Palliative Month.