NHPCO NewsLine Spring 2016 - (Page 17)

"Going Home" By Melissa Rinehart, PhD Kaleidoscope Diversity Solutions, Inc. , Indiana/Purdue University at Fort Wayne Co-Chair, NHPCO's Diversity Advisory Council Death is not an easy subject to discuss. As professionals in this field, that's something we all recognize. In communicating with the people we care for, we must be sure we're presenting things in a way that is clearly understood by each individual whether it's the patient or family caregiver. This is why metaphors like "Starting to pack my suitcase," "Putting on my traveling shoes," or "Going home" resonate so well within the African American community. While working at Visiting Nurse, I came with little knowledge about what end-of-life care looked like. Since then, I've learned a great deal. First, hospice, which I call comfort care, isn't about dying but about living as fully as possible, despite life-limiting illness. I also learned that not all hospice patients are bedridden and some even rally during service. According to Visiting Nurse Medical Director Dr. Ann Moore, "Scientific studies have shown that for certain Myths about end-oflife care deter patients conditions like heart or lung disease, patients who receive hospice care frequently longer and have a better quality of life than those who chose to continue a cycle of hospitalizations and rehabilitation stays. Several times a month, I saw patients actually improve after we stop medications and allow their bodies to rest. While their disease usually continues to progress to death, their deaths are frequently more comfortable with hospice partnering with them." and their families from entering service. Overcoming Myths Myths about end-of-life care deter patients and their families from entering service. I want to share some of the common myths that Spring 2016 | NHPCO NewsLine 17

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Spring 2016

Issue Table of Contents
National Hospice Foundation Gala (display ad)
A Message From Don
Diversity and End-of-Life Care
Diversity Advisory Council
Inequities in Latino Healthcare
Going Home
Collaboration between NHPCO and MSU
Sessions of Interest at MLC
Consolo Software for Hospice (display ad)
Simione Healthy Business Solutions (display ad)
NHPCO Hospice Process Maps in Marketplace (display ad)
Timely Conversations: Engaging Millennials, Too
Management and Leadership Conference (display ad)
NHPCO Edge: New Strategic Opportunities
NHPCO Edge (display ad)
NHPCO Marketplace (display ad)
Palliative Care Resource Series
Guide to Ethics in Hospice Care
Volunteer Resrouce Manual (display ad)
Honor Hospice Volunteers
Top Courses on NHPCO's E-Online
Hospice Buffalo Research
Life & Death Matters (display ad)
Hospice State Profiles (display ad)
Member News
CSU Community-based Palliative Care (display ad)
Pay It Forward, GPIC (display ad)
Interprofessional Webinar Series (display ad)
News from National Hospice Foundation
HAN Advocacy Intensive (display ad)
Beyond the Benefit (display ad)
News from Global Partners in Care
Save the Date - Virtual Conference (display ad)
Links to Helpful Resources

NHPCO NewsLine Spring 2016