December 2021 – Home for the Holidays

There’s no place like home for the holidays.  We sing it in our carols and know it in our hearts.  When it comes to end of life care, this is no exception.  70% of patients wish to be cared for and pass away at home.  Studies indicate that dying at home with hospice care can be beneficial for both patients as well as caregivers, with patients experiencing more peace and their loved ones experiencing less grief. 

The holidays can already be a stressful time in our lives.  Compounding that with the emotional, financial, and logistical tolls taken when caring for a loved one with a terminal diagnosis can seem daunting.  Patients discharged home without hospice or palliative care were 3.7 times more likely to be readmitted within 30 days.  Good Shepherd Hospice can help keep your loved ones at home during the holidays.  Hospice care is a benefit under Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans.  Good Shepherd will work with you to understand this hospice benefit, reducing the worry of expensive health care costs. 

At Good Shepherd Hospice, we serve patients and their families:

• We provide comfort and relieve physical, emotional and spiritual suffering
• We promote quality of life, emphasizing the dignity of each person in our care
• We treat the whole person, not just their disease
• We provide on-call services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
• We provide necessary medications, medical supplies and equipment
• We educate patients and family members about the disease process
• We provide emotional and spiritual support to patients and their families, helping them to cope with functional limitations, caregiver stress and grief
• We assist patients with personal care giving needs
• We provide bereavement care and counseling to surviving family and friends, helping them to cope with their loss

During this holiday season, we know that being near to those we love is important.  Contact us today to learn more about how we can help keep your loved one where they want to be.  For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.