Partnering with Palliative and Hospice Care Teams A workshop for faith leaders
Palliative Philosophy "You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.” — Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of hospice movement
Spirituality and Care Palliative/Hospice Care Teams & Faith Leaders- Complementary Roles: Patient and family-centered care; caring for the whole person Spiritual dimension an integral part of care Focus on the quality of the time remaining Mutual communication & education in service of better care Support during the grieving process
Palliative Care and Hospice
Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care Palliative care Specialized care for serious illness Can be concurrent with curative care Not limited to the end of life Hospice Care Specialized care for the end of life Patient must have a life-expectancy of six months or less Hospice clinicians are experts in end-of-life palliative care
Benefits of palliative and hospice care Care is centered on the patient’s values and priorities Team of professionals who can anticipate and address changing needs Patient & family supported--better able to focus on quality time Research shows that some people live longer with palliative and/or hospice care
What Does a Hospice Patient Look Like?
The Care Team
Helping patients access hospice or palliative care Encourage those you serve to speak openly about what they value most Encourage patients and families to ask about palliative and hospice care rather than wait for the doctor to bring it up Encourage patients to contact you any time during the disease process
Helping patients access hospice or palliative care Use free hospice consultations as a resource for: Evaluating a patient for hospice care Responding to patient/family requests for more information about care options Working with conflicting family ideas about care
Important Openings When patient/family request your support When caregivers appear overwhelmed Time of a new diagnosis or prognosis First hospitalization; long hospitalization Discharge from hospital, change of care setting
What to Listen for Questioning the quality of life Asking “Is it worth it?” Weighing the benefits & burdens of treatment Expressing readiness Needing help with the life closure process
Ways to support patients Deep listening around strengths, distress, hopes Advocating for the patient’s values Educating medical team members about your community’s theology, beliefs, traditions Being additional eyes and ears during meetings, taking notes, asking questions
Ways to support patients Processing information with the patient/family from an emotional and spiritual perspective Encouraging families to access support as they grieve the loss of their loved one Giving healthcare providers feedback. Faith leaders have valuable insight about families in their care
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Questions?