BUSINESS PROFILE: ETHOS HOSPICE
By Kaylee Yamry
As you or your loved one struggles with a life-limiting illness, frequent visits to the
hospital or ER can become normalized.
Between the intensive treatment and the constant back-and-forth, you may begin to wonder if there’s another way.
Unfortunately, the words hospice care are often met with emotional barriers and fear. In many cases, the stigma is so strong that family members avoid the conversation until their loved one has just days to live. As a result, they miss out on the abundant benefits of early admission.
In the words of Ethos Hospice social worker Abby Papenfuss, “By getting to know the patient earlier, we can provide better support for them and their family throughout the journey versus right at the end.” Here’s why hospice care is much more than just a last resort.
What exactly is Hospice Care?
Before we explore the benefits of early admission to hospice care, let’s start with a clear
definition of what hospice care truly means.
From an eligibility standpoint, hospice care is available to individuals who have a terminal diagnosis from their primary physician and a life expectancy of six months or less. Contrary to popular belief, hospice care does not necessarily mean your loved one is in their final days. Once a patient is admitted, Ethos develops a tailored approach to care. Whether that’s the physical, spiritual, and emotional benefits of therapeutic musicians or a helping hand around the house from trained volunteers, no two hospice care experiences are exactly alike. That’s all with the trusted support of medical and social work
services.
Amanda Monson, RN case manager at Ethos, said it best. “Ethos Hospice is comprised of interdisciplinary team members providing therapeutic music, social work, chaplaincy, nursing, and home health aide support. We truly work together as a team.”
How can Hospice Care help?
Throughout the end-of life journey, hospice care brings essential support, resources, and guidance to the comfort of home. By personalizing the care team for each patient’s unique circumstances, Ethos Hospice empowers those they serve to live out their remaining months, weeks, or days with elevated quality of life.
Ethos offers holistic pain management strategies to bring comfort to each day.
Additionally, their care teams ensure the right medications are taken at the right time, while educating family members.
Ultimately, hospice care doesn’t stop medical care, but rather, shifts the focus of that care to comfort and quality of life.
Hospice care is especially beneficial for patients with cognitive conditions. “For patients who are living with dementia or memory loss, hospice care can provide extra socialization, spiritual and social support for both loved ones and family members, and
symptom management,” said Monson.
By connecting with patients at the earliest days of their eligibility, Ethos can ensure the highest quality of life by building deeper relationships, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations, and determining the best strategies and services for the patient and their family.
How does Hospice Care benefit family members?
One of the most common hospice care myths is that it’s solely for the patient. At Ethos Hospice, family members are viewed as an essential part of the full hospice care picture. In turn, chaplains and social workers provide a caring shoulder to lean on throughout every stage of your loved one’s end-of-life journey.
From there, Ethos Hospice offers 13 months of bereavement support to surround families with a compassionate network to navigate life after loss. Meanwhile, your loved one’s hospice care team can provide necessary education to help you prepare for each stage of the journey.
“After a loved one passes, bereavement support helps family members work through the grieving process,” said Papenfuss.
For the families who have entrusted their loved ones to Ethos Hospice, they have served as a cornerstone of grief support, spiritual counseling, and beyond.
Should you consider Ethos Hospice?
Through dedicated care teams, extensive at-home resources, and a personalized approach, Ethos Hospice delivers life-affirming hospice care that makes the most of each day. After exploring their range of life-enriching services at Ethos Hospice, the loved ones and families Ethos serves are often surprised by what they find.
Whether that’s a pet therapy visit, an aromatherapy session, or a board game with one of our hospice volunteers, Ethos believes in going above and beyond for those they serve. Other services might also include Healing Touch to alleviate anxiety, therapeutic music for emotional well-being, legacy recordings to celebrate a loved one’s story, and more.
For more information about hospice care, visit ethoscare.org or contact our team at 701-515-9211.
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