ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FACING
CAREGIVERS TODAY IS KNOWING WHAT CARE
RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.
AND ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO CARE GIVERS
AND THEIR FAMILIES IS HOSPICE.
FOR MANY AMERICANS, THE TOPIC OF HOSPICE
AND HOSPICE CARE REMAINS A MYSTERY.
MANY ADULT CHILDREN ARE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT
HOSPICE AND HOSPICE CARE REALLY IS AND
WHAT IT CAN DO.
BUT JOINING US WITH MORE IS JENNIFER SHEETS,
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AT CLINICAL OPERATIONS
WITH GENTIVA HEALTH SERVICES.
WELCOME JENNIFER.
SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU HAVING ME.
JUST RIGHT OFF THE BAT, YOU SAID THAT HOSPICE IS
MISUNDERSTOOD BY CARE GIVERS AND WHAT
CAN YOU REALLY TELL ME ABOUT THAT?
HOSPICE CARE, MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE
IS REALLY ABOUT DEATH AND DYING.
WHEN IN ACTUALITY HOSPICE CARE IS ABOUT
LIVING.
IT'S ABOUT THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE POSSIBLE.
WHEN YOU GET TO THAT FINAL JOURNEY.
IT'S DESIGNED TO NOT ONLY CARE FOR THE PATIENT, BUT CARE FOR
THE FAMILY AS WELL.
WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER HEALTHCARE
SETTING.
SO THE SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILY
DURING THIS TIME IS HUGE.
THAT IS HUGE.
AND SO A FAMILY DECIDES THAT HOSPICE IS RIGHT FOR THEM,
WHAT'S THE PROCESS THEY GO TO TO RECEIVE
THIS BENEFIT?
SO, I THINK WHEN THE GOAL OF CARE
MOVES TO I DON'T WANT TO BOUNCE IN AND OUT
OF THE HOSPITAL.
I WANT TO BE AT HOME.
I WANT TO BE SURROUNDED BY MY FAMILY
AND MY FRIENDS.
NOT IN AN ICU OR YOU KNOW, A RESTRICTED VISITORS,
RESTRICTED HOURS.
AND I THINK, THE IMPORTANT THING IS
THE CONVERSATION STARTS THERE.
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN,
YOUR FAMILY, EXPRESS THE GOALS OF CARE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS IF YOU FEEL
LIKE HOSPICE CARE IS RIGHT FOR YOUR OR
YOUR LOVED ONE, DON'T WAIT.
THERE IS SUCH A BENEFIT IN GETTING CARE
AS SOON AS YOU ARE ELIGIBLE.
AND SO THE ENTIRE TEAM COMES IN FOR CARE
AND THAT CARE COMES INTO THE HOME, RIGHT?
ABSOLUTELY.
SO, HOME HOSPICE CARE IS PROVIDED WHEREVER
HOME MAY BE.
SO, IT MAY BE A NURSING HOME OR A FACILITY.
IT MAY BE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER'S HOME
OR THE HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN YOUR HOME
FOR YEARS.
THE WHOLE TEAM COMES IN, THEY PROVIDE NOT ONLY SPECIALIZED
CARE FOR THE PATIENT, BUT AGAIN CARE
AND SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILY WHEN THEY
NEED US THE MOST.
AND TYPICALLY WHO COMPRISES A HOSPICE TEAM?
ALL HOSPICES HAVE TO HAVE A TEAM THAT CONSISTS
A PHYSICIAN, A REGISTERED NURSE, A SOCIAL WORKER
AND A PASTOR OR SOME KIND OF COUNSELOR.
AT GENTIVA, WE TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER
AND SO WE OFFER AN RN CASE MANAGER THAT IS
SPECIALLY TRAINED.
A HOSPICE TRAINED AIDE.
A HOSPICE TRAINED VOLUNTEER.
AND THEN 5 NATIONAL MEDICAL DIRECTORS
THAT ARE JUST KNOWN REALLY WELL IN THE INDUSTRY AND PROVIDE
SUPPORT FOR OUR LOCAL PHYSICIANS.
WOW.
THAT'S AN AMAZING TEAM YOU'VE PUT TOGETHER.
THEY ARE ALL ROCK STARS.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
AND WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT HOSPICE
AND HOSPICE CARE AT HOME SO STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU
ARE.
WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE AFTER THIS.
(PIANO MUSIC) (MUSIC).
ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TO BETTER HEALTH AND
WELLNESS?
I'M READY FOR THE CHANGES.
MISSION MAKEOVER, A REALITY SHOW UNLIKE ANY OTHER, IS LOOKING FOR
WOMEN AND FAMILIES FROM THE SOUTH FLORIDA AREA--.
(CHEER).
--WHO WANT TO STEP UP TO THE CHALLENGE.
JUST HEAD TO THE WEBSITE FOR ALL THE DETAILS ON HOW YOU CAN BE
PART OF THE CAST FOR SEASON 4.
YOU LADIES ARE STRONG!
THE MOMENT OF CHANGE IS NEAR.
IT'S A MISSION OF A LIFETIME.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK).
(MUSIC) WE'RE BACK WITH JENNIFER SHEETS
AND WE'RE TALKING HOSPICE AND HOSPICE CARE AT HOME.
AND JENNIFER, YOU WORK WITH ONE OF THE
LARGEST HOME HEALTH CARE AND HOSPICE PROVIDERS
AND IN YOUR OPINION WHAT MAKES GENTIVA DIFFERENT?
HANDS DOWN, I WOULD SAY ARE CLINICIANS.
AS ONE OF THE LARGEST HOME CARE AND HOSPICE
PROVIDERS, WE TRULY INVEST IN OUR BEDSIDE CARE
THROUGH RESOURCES, TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION.
WE REALLY WANT TO GIVE AS MUCH TIME AS WE CAN AT THAT
PATIENT'S BESIDE.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE LOOK FOR SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL
IN A GENTIVA CLINICIAN.
WE LOOK FOR THAT PERSON THAT TRULY
BELIEVES THAT EVERY MINUTE COUNTS IN
SOMEBODY'S LIFE.
I RIDE WITH CLINICIANS ALL THE TIME,
COAST TO COAST, AND I'M ALWAYS AMAZED, NOT ONLY BY THEIR SKILL
BUT BY THEIR CARE, THEIR COMPASSION
AND THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR JOB.
I ONCE HAD A NURSE SAY TO ME, THAT HOSPICE WAS NOT HER JOB,
HOSPICE WAS HER CALLING.
AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT IT
IS FOR A LOT OF OUR CLINICIANS.
IT'S A CALLING TO DO SOMETHING MORE.
THAT IS SO WONDERFUL TO HEAR.
AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR HOSPICE CARE
AND HOW IS THAT DETERMINED?
SO, WHEN THE GOAL OF YOUR CARE IS REALLY TO STOP BOUNCING
FROM BACK AND FORTH FROM THE HOSPITAL.
WHEN YOU WANT TO BE HOME, SURROUNDED BY YOUR FAMILY
AND YOUR FRIENDS.
YOU NEED TO CONSIDER HOSPICE.
IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT OPTION FOR YOU.
AGAIN, DON'T WAIT.
IF YOU THINK YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE OR YOU HAVE A LOVED THAT MIGHT
BE ELIGIBLE THERE IS A REAL
BENEFIT TO GETTING CARE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
ELIGIBILITY IS DETERMINED BY A COORDINATION.
SO, IT'S A COORDINATION BETWEEN THE PATIENT'S REGULAR PHYSICIAN
AND THEN THE HOSPICE MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
AND AS WELL AS A COMPREHENSIVE EXAM.
NOW, WHAT'S THE SINGLE, IN YOUR OPINION,
BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HOSPICE?
THAT HOSPICE CARE IS THE PLACE YOU GO
WHEN THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT CAN DONE.
THAT HOSPICE CARE IS THE PLACE FOR THE
PERSON THAT'S GOING TO DIE TOMORROW
OR THE PERSON THAT IS IN A COMA.
HOSPICE IS REALLY THE SOMETHING THAT
CAN BE DONE.
HOSPICE IS REAL HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT.
MOST VULNERABLE TIME IN YOUR LIFE,
THE MOST VULNERABLE TIME FOR THE FAMILY.
AND IT'S REAL SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT.
I HEAR, FROM FAMILIES ALL THE TIME AS WELL,
TOP TWO THINGS THAT I HEAR ARE, NUMBER ONE: I WISH I HAD HAD IT
SOONER.
AND NUMBER TWO: FROM THE MINUTE THAT
HOSPICE WALKED IN THE DOOR, I FELT
LIKE A COULD BREATHE AGAIN.
I FELT LIKE I COULD BE THE DAUGHTER
OR THE SON AGAIN.
RIGHT AND WE HEAR THAT OVER AND OVER
AND OVER.
AND THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
MISCONCEPTIONS IN HOSPICE REALLY IS
DEDICATED AS MUCH TO THE CARE GIVERS
AS THEY ARE TO THE PATIENTS.
SO INTERESTING TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THE CARE GIVERS.
ONCE YOU HAVE CONSIDERED HOSPICE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?
ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE LETTERS THAT I RECEIVED WAS FROM A
GENTLEMAN WHO SAID, HOSPICE CARE ALLOWED
HIM TO BE A HUSBAND AGAIN TO HIS
WIFE WHEN SHE NEEDED HIM THE MOST.
WELL, YOU CAN'T ANY BETTER THAN THAT.
YOU CAN'T.
AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT AND I KNOW THAT YOU FEEL ISOLATED,
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ALONE.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY
WALKING THIS DIFFICULT PATH WITH YOU.
BUT THERE IS HELP OUT THERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'D SAY TO EVERYBODY.
DON'T BE ALONE.
YOU'RE NOT ALONE.
THERE ARE SO MANY RESOURCES AND EVEN THOUGH A PATIENT MAY NOT BE
ELIGIBLE FOR HOSPICE RIGHT AWAY,
THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES.
HOME HEALTH, COMMUNITY CARE, ALL OF THOSE THAT GENTIVA
PROVIDES THAT CAN HELP TRANSITION THE
PATIENT WHEN THEY ARE READY TO THE
RIGHT SETTING.
AND SPEAKING OF RESOURCES, IS HOSPICE COVERED BY MEDICARE?
AND WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE BENEFIT?
IT'S ABSOLUTELY COVERED BY MEDICARE.
HOSPICE SERVICES ARE COVERED BY MEDICARE,
MEDICAID, AND MOST PRIVATE INSURANCES.
PEOPLE DON'T USUALLY REALIZE THE BENEFIT OF HOSPICE ALSO COVERS
MEDICATIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE
HOSPICE DIAGNOSIS.
IT COVERS SUPPLIES, IT COVER EQUIPMENT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, BREIFS AND GLOVES, AND OXYGEN,
WHEELCHAIRS, SPECIALTY BEDS.
WE HEAR THAT A LOT FROM FAMILIES TOO THAT
JUST SOMEBODY BEING THAT LIASON TO GET THE
EQUIPMENT THAT I NEEDED.
SOMEBODY PICKING UP THE MEDICATIONS FOR ME
VERSUS, YOU KNOW, A DAUGHTER OR A SON THAT IS
TRYING TO DO THAT WHILE WORKING OR BALANCING FAMILY
LIFE, SO THERE IS A LOT THAT COMES WITH THAT
BENEFIT.
AND IT'S JUST A PART OF THE BENEFIT.
AND IMPORTANT, HOW CAN INTERESTED VIEWERS FIND GENTIVA
IN THEIR AREA?
AT OUR WEBSITE, IT'S GENTIVA.COM
THERE IS A LOCATION FINDER AND YOU CAN FIND
THE GENTIVA CLOSEST TO YOU.
WELL, THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT THIS MORNING.
AND SOMETHING I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE AWARE OF
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
ALRIGHT, IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT HOSPICE AND HOSPICE HEALTH CARE,
VISIT US AT THEBALANCINGACT.COM
OR SHARE WITH US ANY OF YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ON THIS
SUBJECT, SIMPLY LOG ON TO FACEBOOK/THEBALANCINGACTFANS.