It’s Never Too Early for a Conversation

Serious illness and end of life are two topics that many people don’t want to even think about never mind prepare for. Conversations about how to deal with the progression of a serious illness often get put off until there is a crisis and it becomes absolutely necessary to make decisions about what to do for a loved one.

What many people don’t realize, however, is that, by avoiding these “difficult” topics, they could be losing the chance to make their wishes known regarding decisions that will affect them at the end of life. For example, when people dealing with serious illness let their loved ones know their feelings about matters, such as what kinds of treatment they do and do not want to receive and where they would like to spend their final days, they help ensure that their wishes will be honored.

Hospice Care

An important part of the conversation about serious illness can be the discussion of hospice. Hospice is a specialized program that offers help, comfort and support for people with serious illnesses and their families. Often, hospice is thought to mean care for a terminally ill patient in the final weeks or even days of life. While this is the point at which hospice care begins for some patients, hospice services are available and can be extremely helpful to patients and their families far earlier in the course of a serious illness.

“An individual whose life expectancy is six months or less and whose care focuses on pain and symptom management rather than curative measures, can be eligible for hospice,” said Ed Martin, M.D., MPH, chief medical officer at Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island (HHCRI).

If you have questions about whether you or a loved one might qualify for hospice care, a phone call anytime to HHCRI (415-4200) can provide you with preliminary information. You also can set up an appointment with a member of the HHCRI team, wherever and whenever it is convenient for you, to talk about the specifics of your or a loved one’s situation now or in the future.

It’s ideal to start talking as early as possible. In fact, it is never too early for a conversation about serious illness and end of life.

“In addition to making sure patients’ medical needs are met, we focus on meeting their emotional and spiritual needs, as well as those of their family,” said Diana Franchitto, president and CEO of HHCRI. “Too often, patients come onto our service very late in the course of their illness and miss out on many of the benefits we can provide an entire family to help them make the most of time, when time matters the most.”

HHCRI is certified as a Jewish Hospice by the National Institute for Jewish Hospice (NIJH). This means that staff have received training in the specific belief systems, customs, traditions and needs of Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and secular or non-practicing Jews at end of life. HHCRI is one of only 55 hospices nationwide to earn this accreditation. HHCRI is the major teaching affiliate for hospice and palliative medicine of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

For more information about hospice or to schedule an appointment with a member of the HHCRI team, call 415-4200 or visit hhcri.org.