Hospice and Family Caregivers Month

The term, hospice, comes from the Latin word hospitium, meaning host, a lodging for travelers, the under-privileged, or ill. Today, hospice refers to a philosophy or approach focused on caring, not curing, an individual who faces a life-limiting illness or injury. This care is often provided in the person’s home, but may also be provided in freestanding hospice centers, hospitals, or nursing homes. These services are available to persons of any age, religion, race, or illness; and, are generally covered by Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans, and HMOs.

Most of us associate the term hospice with care rendered when an individual is expected to live six months or less, but hospice care may continue for a longer period of time if necessary.

THE CAREGIVERS

Hospice care is a family-centered approach by a team made up of doctors, nurses, home health aids, social workers, chaplains and trained volunteers. Often, the person’s primary caregivers are family, friends, partners, and neighbors – more than 50 million individuals in the U.S. assume this role. Their care-giving provides an estimated $306 billion in unpaid services each year for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend (based on statistics in 2006).

• The typical family caregiver is a woman in her mid-40’s, married and employed, carrying for her widowed mother who does not live with her.
• Nearly 1½ million children, ages 8 – 18, provide care for an adult relative; 72% are caring for a parent or grandparent (fortunately, most are not the sole caregiver).
• 30% of family caregivers caring for seniors are themselves aged 65 or older.
• 17% of family caregivers are providing 40 hours or more of care each week.
• These caregivers offset almost twice as much as is actually spent on homecare and nursing home services combined.

• Gather information, think about and talk about your wishes: although end-of-life care may be difficult to discuss, you can greatly reduce your stress and your family’s stress if you have shared your wishes long before the need becomes apparent.
• Prepare an advance directive (durable power of attorney for healthcare) that authorizes a person of your choosing to make decisions if you become unable to do so for yourself.
• Consider volunteering with a local hospice: being trained can prepare you to respond to future needs of family and friends.
• Recognize the impact of care-giving and offer support to those whom you know are caregivers – assistance with every-day tasks may lighten their load, and simply being a willing listener allows them to share their feelings.

IF YOU’RE A CAREGIVER …

• In your attempts to be good caregivers, don’t take away from your loved one the things he/she can still do independently, including decision-making.
• Take care of yourself! You can’t care for others if you are ill, lacking in rest, nutrition, exercise and time for reflection. Ask family, friends, and neighbors for help when you need it!
• Remember the power of positive thinking; each day is an opportunity that the Lord has given us to grow in our faith, even (maybe the most!) in times of great trial.
• Find a support group and make time to attend the meetings. You’ll learn that most family caregivers gain new skills and find the resources they need, while realizing they’re not alone!

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More Reading...

“Good Grief”, by Granger E. Westberg
“If God is my strength, why am I still tired? Devotions for
Christian Caregivers” by Maggie Hilmer
www.thefamilycaregiver.org/who_are_family_caregivers
California Association of Health Services at Home
www.nahc.org
www.caringinfo.org/livingwithanillness/hospice.htm 

by Marla Lichtsinn, RN, MPA, CIC, FCN, Parish Nurse
marla.lichtsinn@psd-lcms.org