USA TODAY Highlights Palliative Care

Liz Szabo wrote in yesterday’s USA TODAY about the benefits of hospice and palliative care. The article discussed a study (posted on the Hospice and Caregiving Blog last summer) which showed early palliative care helped advanced lung cancer patients live longer. Dr. Gail Austin Cooney, former president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and an advanced ovarian cancer patient herself, is featured in the article and video below.

A View of Mercy

Today's New York Times' photography blog features photographer's interpretations of the word mercy, compiled in a book by James Whitlow Delano.

Mr. Delano’s sister, Jeanne, suffered terminal renal cancer in 2007 and spent her last months in hospice care. “I felt she got merciful care,” he said “Humane care. She was treated like Jeanne.”

With his emotions still raw from that experience, Mr. Delano set out to draw attention and funding to hospice and palliative care. He reached out to other photographers, asking them to submit work for a book based on the concept of mercy. The response was overwhelming.

And it was frequently surprising, sometimes even a bit confounding. “Everyone’s interpretation is absolutely different,” Mr. Delano said. “I didn’t challenge. I didn’t ask. If you say that’s mercy, that’s all I need to know.”

James Whitlow Delano

Webinar on LGBT Community and EOL Care on April 20

Aging and death don't discriminate. Whether someone is heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, everyone grows older. HFA will host a live webinar on April 20, "Supporting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community through Illness, Death and Grief."

This live webinar will feature Kimberly Acquaviva, PhD, MSW, of George Washington University, who will discuss the challenges faced by this community and how organizations can better serve older LGBT adults and their loved ones. Kenneth Doka, PhD, MDiv, will discuss the psychosocial issues faced by this community. Continuing Education credits are available for a wide range of professionals including nurses and social workers.

Veterans and End-of-Life Care

HFA has released a free online webinar, "Veterans and End-of-Life Care," written by Deborah Grassman, ARNP, of the Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Medical Center. This program will help people learn more about how veterans' military experiences impact their end-of-life experiences-and how hospice can make a difference.

"About 25% of all Americans who are dying are veterans-the men and women who have served our country as members of the Armed Forces," states Lisa McGahey Veglahn, HFA Senior Program Officer. "Yet only 4% of dying veterans die within the Veterans Affairs Healthcare Network. This means that 96% of these veterans are cared for by hospice and healthcare professionals in communities all across the U.S. HFA is grateful to Ms. Grassman, a preeminent authority on supporting veterans at the end of life, for this new resource."

In addition to the program, additional resources and Fact Sheets can be downloaded for sharing with staff, students, and community members at no charge. Free Continuing Education credits are available for a wide range of professionals.

This program is part of HFA's Hospice Information Center, an extensive online library that also includes programs such as Understanding Hospice, Family Caregiving, Understanding Grief, and Coping with Cancer at the End of Life. The programming provides hospices and other community organizations the opportunity to educate staff and volunteers about the basics of hospice care, caregiving, and grief, and links are provided to guide viewers to more information on a variety of subjects. Other resources are available for consumers, to help family and friends learn about hospice and how it can help people cope with some of life's most challenging situations, in a format that is accessible and understandable. Resources are also available in Spanish and Chinese.

This project is provided through the support of a grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to support hospice and end-of-life care outreach and education. CMS funds of $571,000 with HFA in-kind services of $5,710 are funding a variety of outreach and educational programs, including this project.

Cancer and End-of-Life Care

Last week the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released a policy statement encouraging discussions between physicians and their advanced cancer patients about palliative care and other treatment options. ASCO is now sharing a free booklet with patients and their families to help them understand their treatment options and find support after diagnosis.

HFA’s 2010 Living with Grief® educational program focuses on Cancer and End-of-Life Care, including the psychosocial aspects of cancer, pain management, and ethical issues related to the disease. This program can be viewed until March 23, 2011 and Continuing Education credits are available for professionals.

HFA also is offering a new free webinar, Coping with Cancer at the End of Life that examines the impact of advanced cancer, and how family, professionals and volunteers can manage the demands of caring for someone with end-stage cancer.