July 13 Program: “Hospice, what it is and what it’s not.”

Trish Thomas and Bridget Martorelli from Compassionate Care Hospice talked about “Hospice Care” of terminally ill patients. Bridget, a patient relations coordinator, told us that there are over 40 hospice companies in New Jersey and this care is covered under Medicare. Compassionate Care Hospice has been in business since 1993 and the company is in 19 states. Photo shows Trish on the left and Bridget on the right with Marty Sechehay, who arranged for the talk.

Trish, who is a hospice nurse and an educator, gave a brief history of hospice, which began in England in the 1960’s when Cicely Saunders started St Christopher’s Hospice. In those early days, it was mostly about Cancer. The movement came to America in the 1970’s. American hospice pioneer Florence S. Wald, dean of the nursing school at Yale heard a lecture by Saunders and was inspired to add hospice care to nursing education.

Hospice is important. You matter because you are YOU, an individual. And, you matter until the last moment of your life. Hospice brings a better quality of life to people who are terminally ill. We need to remember that the patient is in charge of his or her own destiny and they need to be informed and make decisions about their life, right up to the end. Hospice care takes place wherever the patient lives. Nurses often identify which patients should be considered for hospice care. Doctors might say “we cannot cure you”; however, hospice care is available. People like Bridget can improve communications between patients, relatives, medical staff and hospice caregivers so that decisions about hospice care can be made. Hospice provides comfort, power, respect, meaning and self-esteem to people in their last days.

Click here to learn more about Compassionate Care Hospice.

Click here to learn more about Medicare Hospice Benefits.