To
the Better End
Organizations
Groups working to foster better end of life experiencesFred Hansen
Winter '07
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To
the Better End
OrganizationsGroups working to foster better end of life experiences |
Fred Hansen Winter '07 |
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Many organizations have the
mission of working toward better end-of-life experiences. |
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The leading organization working toward end-of-life legislation is
Compassion and Choices. Their website is listed at left. It describes
teh organization thus: Compassion & Choices
is a nonprofit organization working to improve
care and expand choice at the end of life. As a national organization
with over 60 chapters and 30,000 members, we help patients and their
loved ones face the end of life with calm facts and choices of action
during a difficult time. We also aggressively pursue legal reform to
promote pain care, put teeth in advance directives and legalize
physician aid in dying.
In addition to working toward more compassionate legislation, the society has a Client Support Program, described in the FAQ as follows: The Client Support Program serves individuals, families and others who may be facing the end of life or even just planning ahead. These confidential services include: •
Support and counsel to
anyone who contacts us
• Local referrals to pain specialists, hospice programs, social service agencies, disease-specific support groups and others • Assistance in completing living will/advance directive and in talking to families, friends and health care providers about health care wishes • Advocacy for people in nursing homes or who are receiving inadequate care Compassion & Choices does not provide the means to hasten death, nor do we administer the means. We offer information, support and a presence at the death of a qualified client. |
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The largest Pittsburgh hospice program is Family Hospice and
Palliative Care. It has many programs and services, including
hospice. For that it takes its decription from the Its description of
its hospice program comes from National Hospice
and Palliative Care Organization: Considered to be the model
for quality, compassionate care at the end-of-life, hospice care
involves a team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain
management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to
the patient’s needs and wishes. Support is exteneded to the patient’s
loved ones, as well. At the center of hospice is the belief that each
of us has the right to die pain-free and with dignity, and that our
families will receive the necessary support to allow us to do so. The
focus is on caring, not curing and, in most cases, care is provided in
the patient’s home. Hospice care also is provided in freestanding
hospice facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes and other long-term
care facilities. Hospice services are available to patients of any age,
religion, race or illness.
The national organization lists these hospice programs in Pittsburgh: AseraCare Hospice
Bethany Hospice Services Family Hospice and Palliative Care Forbes Hospice Gateway Health Grane Hospice Care Harmony Hospice Heartland Home Health Care and Hospice Hope Hospice Odyssey HealthCare of Pennsylvania Sivitz Jewish Hospice |
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