When Medicine Is No Longer Enough
One of the buzzwords in healthcare today is “Compassionate Care”. It’s a catchy phrase that works well in ad copy but, it is also the way many healthcare providers approach their jobs. A prime example of “compassionate care” can be found in the actions of individuals who dedicate their lives to caring for patients with life-limiting illnesses and providing support to their families and caregivers. Lisa Marie DiLuigi, Certified Hospice & Palliative Care Nurse and Director of Legacy Hospice of the Piedmont, says “Hospice is a special kind of care provided to patients and families during one of life’s most sacred journey’s. Each patient’s journey is unique to that individual. It’s our commitment to treat each person with dignity, respect, and grace.”
Terminal illness is never an easy thing to face. When the time is right, hospice care is available. Understanding the options available when modern medicine is no longer enough, is vital for patients and their loved ones.
Managing Emotions
This can be one of the most stressful times in our lives and our family member’s lives. No one can truly know how to handle the mixture of feelings that exist. Patients genuinely care about things other than simply extending their lives, especially when the added time is counted in days and weeks and not in years. Surveys of terminally ill patients show that people want to avoid unnecessary pain and suffering. They want to spend time with their family and get a chance to say goodbye on their own terms. They want to remain mentally acute, experience the touch of others, and many times, more than all the rest, not become a burden.
For millions of people throughout the United States, hospice may be the answer. According to Lisa Marie, “Patients eligible for hospice have a life expectancy of 6 months or less if the disease runs its natural course. Hospice manages patients with life limiting illnesses whose goals are no longer to seek curative measures, but to have the highest possible quality of life for as long as they have left. ”
More than just health care, hospice is about compassion. Choosing the right hospice provider is about finding a team who treats patients and families with love and a genuine spirit of life. No matter the challenges that patients face, they still have goals and needs. Hospice is centered around helping a person accomplish as much as they possibly can in the final stage of life. But, it’s also about bringing families closer together, with a special emphasis placed on enhancing the patient’s quality of life. It is designed to remove the burden of juggling all the different aspects of life care out of the hands of the family members who simply want to enjoy the moments that remain. Hospice provides an interdisciplinary approach that manages the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients as well as their families and caregivers.
“Everyone involved in our organization, from nurses and doctors, to volunteers, clergy, and our administrative staff, are very passionate about managing patients at the end of their life,” Lisa Marie says. “It is a sacred time and everyone who works with us or is a part of our team is committed to it.”
The services are all-inclusive. Hospice is 100% covered by Medicaid and Medicare with no out of pocket costs. It is also covered by most health insurance policies. The services of a hospice come at a vital time for a patient and a family. When medicine is no longer enough, hospice is there.
For more information about Hospice or to become a volunteer, contact Legacy Hospice of the Piedmont at 434.799.5313 or toll free at 855.799.5313. Legacy Hospice of the Piedmont is the area’s only health care provider that operates solely as a hospice. It provides hospice services wherever indicated including at your home or in the hospital.
