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Linda Hinds
Linda Hinds is the Executive Director for Trinity Hospice. She has been with the company six years plus. Her education has been from working in the medical field for 20 years and her professional goal is to educate all individuals on their hospice benefit. She is available to speak to community groups on the topics and benefits of hospice. Trinity Hospice is located at 1938 N. Woodlawn and you can reach her at 316-686-5999.
Hospice
2007-11-01 09:35:00
What are the benefits of Hospice?
What exactly is Hospice?
In the dictionary the definition for Hospice is a shelter for travelers or the needy; it also defines Hospice as an establishment caring for the physical and emotional needs of terminally ill patients. A Hospice staff acts as that shelter for the terminally ill. Dedicated nurses, home health aides, physicians, chaplains, social workers, and volunteers warm the hearts of their patients and loved ones while providing loving relief from pain and suffering specific to their patients’ needs. They share heartwarming stories, tears of laughter, tears of sadness, they share many warm hugs and through the staff’s beautiful smiles and caring hearts they provide a ray of sunshine during a critical time in their patient and family lives. The staff cannot add length of days to anyone’s life but they can add life to their days.

There are many myths surrounding an individual’s Hospice Medicare benefit. Some of these myths are Hospice is only for people with cancer, Hospice is only for old people, Hospice is only for dying people, Hospice is expensive and a major myth is that a physician or someone else decides which Hospice a patient must use. All these myths are simply that, they are myths, untruths. Over the next few articles we will address these myths in more detail; today I would like to address an individual’s Hospice benefit.

The benefit is exactly that, it is an individual’s benefit, not one only for the young or the old. It is for all who have a terminal diagnosis with a life expectancy, if the disease should run its normal course, of six months. The Hospice benefit is provided by the staff in private homes, in facilities, wherever the patient calls "home".

If utilizing the Medicare Hospice benefit it is one you personally earned. You did this while you worked hard and earned a living through the years. You deserve it and you own it; it is your benefit, your choice. Any individual who qualifies for their Medicare Part A benefit automatically has a Hospice benefit. Just as if you had personally written a check every month for this service, when the need arises to utilize your Hospice benefit, I encourage you to shop around, ask questions. Again I emphasize it is YOUR benefit and your choice, you have control as to who will provide you care during this very important journey in your life. According to the Hospice guidelines and regulations set by the Federal Government all Hospice companies must provide the same type of services; it is how that company provides the service that is important to you and your loved ones. It is one of the most important decisions you will make.

There are also Medicaid Hospice benefits for those with limited financial resources and Hospice private insurance benefits for those who do not qualify at this time for their Medicare benefits. Trinity Hospice also takes on non-funded patients who do not have any means of payment. What ever source of funding you have please remember it is your benefit, your choice. With Hospice, no matter what your funding source, you receive the same level of care. Our patients are equal in our eyes no matter what their circumstances in life. We are a comforting shelter and a ray of sunshine for everyone we have the opportunity to have on our services.

As the Executive Director for a Hospice I encourage you to educate yourself now, be prepared to choose the hospice you feel will best suit your needs and the needs of your family.

As I implied in the beginning of this article the foundation, the very heart beat of our hospice, any hospice, is the center staff. They are a group of individuals with compassionate hearts, a willingness to give beyond what is normal and are committed to the highest level of end of life quality care that is humanly possible. I consider it a personal privilege to lead staff of this caliber; I know you would agree. When the need arises, it will serve you and the family well to carefully consider the services offered by one of your local Hospice.

I will be back next month to discuss some more common myths about Hospice. Until then...

 
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