Sometimes we think we know everything about something, but we find that we really didn’t ... that, indeed, we misunderstood many facts about a particular subject.
That may be the case about hospice and hospice care, even though Connecticut was the birthplace of the hospice movement in America, and we still set the standard for hospice home and inpatient care and nursing.
On a recent sunny afternoon, I sat in the dining room of the Connecticut Hospice on Double Beach Road in Branford, taking in the breathtaking view while chatting with Lauren Brown, director of clinical support services; Katherine Blossom, the arts director; and Soozi Flannigan, director of hospice.
They explained that hospice is actually a whole, unique philosophy of caring that looks at a patient’s psychological, spiritual, emotional and physical needs as well as the family dynamics, with respect for cultural, ethnic and religious differences.
The hospice philosophy of care actually began in the 17th century when hospice was a place of shelter and rest for weary or ill travelers on a long journey, but modern principles were pioneered in the 1950s by Dame Cicely Saunders, who taught that the focus should be on the patient, rather than on the disease.
The first American hospice home-care program began in 1974 in New Haven as the Connecticut Hospice. When home care was not sufficient to meet the needs of patients, Connecticut Hospice opened the nation’s first hospice hospital in Branford in 1980.
Local home-care offices are in Branford, Norwalk, Shelton and Wallingford. The hospice idea has bloomed in Africa, Poland, Japan, Italy, Spain and many other countries.
One of the programs offered by Connecticut Hospice is Can Support. Many people are unaware that this program is available with no restrictions due to the length of anticipated illness. There must be a diagnosis of a progressive illness, a general inability to leave home and a skilled nursing need. Can Support can then provide medical and nursing care, social work, arts therapies, spiritual care and physical therapy.
No one needing care is ever turned away for inability to pay. In the Inpatient Advanced Palliative Care Hospice Hospital, a patient who remains stable or improves may be discharged to return to their home or to another facility. This occurs about 25 percent of the time.
Hospice care takes an interdisciplinary approach with everyone involved in the care of the patient, meeting and coordinating their efforts. Families also have an important role to play and Connecticut Hospice offers monthly wellness groups where families and patients are able to enjoy a variety of complementary therapies together. Continued...
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Hospice also offers bereavement counseling for 13 months for family members who have lost a loved one.
Of course, volunteers play a tremendously important role. People who can connect, help in patient care or act as companions are encouraged to volunteer; others serve by offering art and music activities, doing shopping, driving, gardening or office work.
All volunteers receive two-hour, one-day-a-week training which lasts for six weeks. To help to enhance the quality of someone’s life as long as life lasts, is the goal of hospice and surely one of the most rewarding ways to volunteer. To learn about volunteer opportunities or to receive additional information, go to www.hospice.com, www.artsathospice.com or call 203-315-7510.
- Article by Jean Cherni, founder of the retirement advisory service, Senior Living Solutions. Contact her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds at Hotchkiss Grove, Branford 06405.
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