Barbara Hon does not mince her words when expressing her gratitude for the support her family received from Hospice of Hilo.
“I cannot say enough about their help when I cared for my husband,” Hon said. “I simply could not have cared for him alone. Their team came and helped my sons and ensure my husband was comfortable, all the while honoring him, even though he had an incredibly stubborn streak,” she finishes with a laugh.
November is Hospice Awareness Month.
Hospices across the county are honoring individuals and families, such as the Hons, who accepted assistance to care for loved ones living with a life-limiting illnesses. This month also is a time to honor the professionals and volunteers who provide the high-quality, compassionate care to those who need it most.
“We are so grateful to families like the Hons who invite our team into their homes and allow us to support them in one of life’s most difficult transitions,” said Hospice of Hilo CEO Brenda Ho. “Our team has the utmost respect for families and individuals who sacrifice their time and energy to care for their loved ones. It is an honor to empower and assist them in their cherished role of caregiver.”
When a family is coping with a serious illness and a cure is no longer possible, hospice provides the type of care most people say they want at the end of life: comfort and dignity. Hospice care includes expert medical care, pain management and emotional and spiritual support. Care is provided by an interdisciplinary team of professionals and trained volunteers.
The wishes of the patient and family are always at the center of care.
Most hospice care is provided in the home — where the majority of Americans have said they would want to be at this time. Care also is provided in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospice centers such as the Pohai Malama a Harry &Jeannette Weinberg Care Center located in Hilo.
All of the services, medication and equipment necessary for hospice care to be provided are paid for by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans and HMOs.
“National Hospice Month also provides an opportunity for individuals and their loved ones to have those sometimes uncomfortable but very important discussions about the care they would want at the end of life,” Ho said. “Far too many people wait until they are in the midst of a health care crisis before thinking about what options are available or what care they or their loved ones would have wanted.”
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reports that more than 1.5 million people received care from the nation’s hospices last year.
Besides hospice care, many hospice organizations also provide palliative care.
Palliative care brings the same interdisciplinary team care as hospice to people earlier in the course of a serious illness and can be provided along with other curative treatments they might still be receiving from their doctor.
“I never hesitate to tell others about our family’s positive experience with Hospice of Hilo’s services,” Hon said. “Every single person should seek out this care when they find themselves in need of support. It will change your life for the better.”
For more information about hospice and palliative care services, call Hospice of Hilo at 969-1733 or visit www.hospiceofhilo.org.
