We often hear our Hospice & Palliative Care Manager, Jewelene Griffin, RN, say: “You don’t know what you don’t know!” in reference to the fact that many people don’t know what hospice is, let alone the depth of support hospice provides to individuals and their families. As National Hospice & Palliative Care Month comes to a close, we sat down with Jewelene to talk about hospice — what she’d like more people to understand and what she’s learned over her 20-plus years as a hospice provider and manager.
6 Quick Hospice Facts to Know (and Share):
- Hospice is available for any end stage disease process with a life expectancy of 6 months or less if the disease runs its normal course.
- Hospice encourages patients to be as active as their disease allows through end of life. In fact, patients does not have to be homebound to be eligible for hospice services.
- A DNR is not required to be eligible for hospice services.
- Hospice promotes comfort and quality of life for patients through the support of an interdisciplinary team and provides all medications, durable medical equipment and supplies related to the terminal prognosis at no cost to the patient.
- Hospice benefits are available through Medicare, Medicaid and most commercials insurances.
- At CVHHH, a patient’s loved ones are supported by the hospice bereavement program for 15 months following the patient’s death.
What I’ve Learned from a Career in Hospice…
“We are all on a journey, and we are all going to die. As hospice caregivers, we join the patient on this journey, taking their hand in support. We are advocates, caregivers, companions, educators, and supporters. We can’t change the inevitability of death. We can’t erase the anguish felt over a death; often the perfect words are not available. What we can do for patients and their families is be there. It is my privilege to be a part of a patient’s and family’s life during this most precious time.” — Jewelene Griffin, RN
We have many hospice resources available to you.
- For specific questions, please contact Jewelene Griffin, at 802-224-2240 or jgriffin@cvhhh.org.
- You may also visit the Hospice section of our website at www.cvhhh.org/hospice. It contains detailed information about hospice services, eligibility, and a video testimonial from an individual who experienced hospice care at CVHHH.