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MANCHESTER, NH â Despite common misconceptions, hospice care is not all doom and gloom, with a patient bedridden in a dark room, slowly passing away. A new hospice guide publication aims to negate the many misconceptions about hospice care and palliative care, focusing specifically on New England. The publication is available, for free, by visiting this link.Â
âWhat exactly is hospice?â is a question not asked often or early enough, according to many of the New Hampshire professionals working in hospice who were interviewed for the guide. The goal of this comprehensive new e-book is to remove the dark veil from hospice.Â
âThereâs a built-in negative connotation to the word, âhospice,ââ said Janice McDermott, director of hospice & palliative care for Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care Alliance of NH in Concord, NH. âSome people hear it and think, âThatâs the end. Time to die.â That is not necessarily so.â
- Hospice IS NOT a place, though many patients and their families assume it is. Hospice is an approach to care not tied to a specific location.Â
- Hospice IS a philosophy of care for those nearing the end of life.Â
There are hospice houses in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. While hospitals also provide in-patient hospice care, more than 90 percent of hospice services are administered in a patientâs home, the home of a family member/loved one, a community residence, or a skilled nursing facility.
The free e-book is a co-production of Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium and the Cremation Society of New Hampshire.
âFrom my many conversations with people facing the loss of a loved one, I saw a need for this kind of publication,â said Buddy Phaneuf, President of Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium. âWe encounter a lot of confusion and misinformation about hospice care. Our goal with this e-book is to provide clear, comprehensive information on what hospice care entails exactly, and how it can benefit the entire family.â
This comprehensive digital booklet explains topics such as:
- When to contact hospice (Answer: Now!)
- The differences between hospice care and palliative care
- Services for veterans
- Hospice care for patients with dementia or Alzheimerâs disease
- Technological advances in hospice care
- Directives and medical intervention
- How hospice care serves all members of the family
âEntering into hospice care does mean a terminal illness is diagnosed and there is a short life expectancy,â said McDermott, of the Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care Alliance of NH. âThe focus for hospice caregivers is not on how to help someone die, but how to help patients live their best life for their remaining days.âÂ
Access the free hospice guide here.Â