Dr. Donna Coletti
Dr. Donna Coletti, Medical Director in Palliative Care at Greenwich Hospital, was Michele Thomas’s guest on Osborn Home Care’s radio program, ‘Good Living.’ The program airs every other Tuesday on WGCH 1490 AM at 9:30 am. Michele Thomas is the Executive Vice President of Osborn Home Care which has offices in Rye, NY and Greenwich, CT. Dr. Coletti talked with Michele about how hospice care benefits patients and their families, and how individuals can make sure they take advantage of these services at the optimal time.
Hospice care originated 30 years ago when the government created a program to enable families to care for a terminally-ill or dying loved one at home instead of in the hospital. Today Medicare and Medicaid covers hospice services, including home visits, medications, durable medical equipment, and 24-hour on call nursing coverage when authorized by the patient’s physician.
How and When to Engage Hospice Services
Physicians can make a home hospice referral for patients in the final six months of life, either in the end stage of a disease, or in general decline from aging.
Dr. Coletti noted that people tend to wait until the last few weeks of life before using hospice services. “It should not be last minute; there is so much to gain from having hospice involved early in the process to help with education, support, and acceptance.”
She reported that patients often feel better once hospice care is engaged. They are free to express their wishes, relieved of invasive and uncomfortable treatments, and able to be at home with their family and friends.
“The end of life is a journey,” she said. “It’s so important for families to talk about what is important to them and how they want to spend their time together.”
“Techniques that were originally created to return otherwise healthy people to life are sometimes used to prolong the dying process,” she added. “These conversations can be difficult, but being clear about defining the care you want and, especially, the care you don’t want, is so important for the well-being of everyone involved.”
Making Your Wishes Known
Advance directive documents, such as a living will, health care proxy, or durable power of attorney, are helpful to families navigating this process as they specify the patient’s wishes for the types of medical treatment they want (or don’t want). Both Dr. Coletti and Ms. Thomas also referred to the “Five Wishes” as a guide to help people talk about their advanced directives and end of life wishes.
“Having the patient’s wishes clearly documented is so helpful for children and spouses during a potentially emotional time,” said Michele Thomas, speaking from her own experience with her aging parents.
Michele Thomas discussed how Osborn Home Care often works with local hospices to provide home health aides who give extra care and much needed respite to family members.
Osborn Home Care provides professional homemaker companion services in lower Fairfield County (CT license # HCA.0000933). In Westchester County, Osborn Home Care has been providing personal care with registered nurse care management and professional home health aides since 1996.
To listen to the broadcast, click here: AM1490WGCH and go to 'Shows & Hosts,' then 'Good Living with Michele Thomas.'
For more information about Osborn Home Care, visit: www.osbornhomecare.org or call (203) 641-7683 (CT) or (914) 925-8221 (NY). To learn more about Greenwich Home Hospice services, call (203) 863-3883.