How Home Hospice is Evolving to Support Aging Americans
Connecticut Hospice recently took center stage in a CBS News segment of Eye on America, shedding light on how home hospice care is evolving to provide compassionate support for the nation’s aging population.
In the segment, Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. John LaPook explores how home hospice care is transforming lives, highlighting stories like that of Joan, a 98-year-old Connecticut Hospice patient. The segment also emphasizes the growing recognition of home hospice care as a powerful way to improve quality of life for those in their final months — including former President Jimmy Carter, who just turned 100.
Changing the Perception of Hospice Care
For many, the word "hospice" brings to mind misconceptions and fear. It's often assumed that hospice signifies the end of life, limited to a hospital setting. However, as Joan shares in her interview with Dr. LaPook, this isn’t necessarily the case.
“When you heard the word hospice, what did that mean to you?” Dr. LaPook asks. Joan responds candidly, “I thought that unless you were really infirm... you wouldn’t be a candidate for hospice. But it turns out not to be true.”
Hospice care focuses on providing comfort, dignity, and an improved quality of life for patients expected to live six months or less. It aims to reduce pain and manage symptoms rather than pursuing curative treatments. Yet, the care doesn't signify that death is imminent; rather, it offers support to help patients live their final months with as much comfort and purpose as possible.
Home Hospice: A Personalized Approach to Care
In the Eye on America segment, Barbara Pearce, CEO of Connecticut Hospice, provides insights into the decision-making process of entering hospice care. In the interview, Dr. John LaPook asks, “It’s really hard to predict how long somebody has to live — who makes the decision" to enter hospice care? Barbara responds, “The patient. The patient and their families.”
This exchange underscores the patient-centered approach of Connecticut Hospice, which emphasizes the importance of choice and family involvement in the hospice journey. Nearly 99% of Connecticut Hospice patients choose to receive care at home, surrounded by the people and environments that mean the most to them. Like former President Jimmy Carter, Joan chose to receive care in the comfort of her Connecticut apartment, where she continues to live a meaningful life.
Through personalized care plans, our healthcare professionals work closely with patients and their families to understand their goals and support them in finding comfort, dignity, and fulfillment during their time in hospice care.
The Support and Comfort of Hospice Services
The video features Joan, who at 98 years old, still cooks and navigates her apartment with relative ease. Her refrigerator is well-stocked, and she enjoys the small pleasures of daily life. However, she also benefits from the support of hospice staff and other visitors who help keep her safe, engaged, and connected.
In Joan’s words, the support of hospice care has allowed her to look forward to important moments in her life, especially time with her eight grandchildren. “Initially, I thought it was the beginning of the end,” she says. “But I’m not through yet.”
Hospice care isn't just about preparing for the end of life; it's about living life fully until the very last moment. Patients are supported by a team of trained professionals who offer medication, treatments to relieve symptoms, and emotional support tailored to their individual needs and desires. The goal is to enhance comfort and provide a meaningful experience during a time that can be both challenging and precious.
Breaking Down Barriers to Hospice
Despite the benefits, only about half of eligible Medicare patients take advantage of hospice care, in part due to misconceptions about what it entails. Routine hospice services average about $200 a day and are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans, making it a financially accessible option for many families.
Former President Jimmy Carter’s public announcement of his decision to enter home hospice care has helped bring the conversation to the forefront, encouraging others to view it as a viable and positive option. “He’s given everybody permission to consider that as a reasonable option,” says Barbara Pearce. “It doesn’t shorten their life but does increase their comfort and fulfillment.”
Living Fully with Home Hospice Care
The essence of hospice care is to give patients the opportunity to live their remaining time with dignity, comfort, and fulfillment. At Connecticut Hospice, we are dedicated to helping patients create meaningful moments and lasting memories, surrounded by the people who matter most. Whether through Hospice Care at Home or Inpatient Hospice Care at our Branford Waterfront Hospice Hospital, we strive to provide compassionate support tailored to every individual's needs. Joan's story is a powerful testament to how hospice care can transform the end-of-life experience into a time of connection, comfort, and joy.
If you or a loved one are considering hospice care, remember it’s not just about preparing for the end — it’s about making sure the life that remains is lived to the fullest. At Connecticut Hospice, we are here to guide and support you every step of the way.
To learn more about our services or to speak with a member of our compassionate team, please contact us. We are committed to making a difference, just as we have for Joan and countless others.
As one of the only Connecticut locations supporting both at-home dementia patients and their caregivers through the new federal GUIDE program, we are proud to be leading the way in helping families affected by dementia stay together.
As more and more patients experience dementia, and their needs become more complex, too many must transition to full-time facilities, and away from caregivers lacking the necessary resources to keep them home. Now, with assistance from the GUIDE program's care navigators, they will have access to community-based tools that can help dementia patients stay with loved ones, while caregivers will have the support system they sorely need.
The Connecticut Hospice, Inc., has been selected by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to participate in the Medicare Dementia Care Model
The Connecticut Hospice, Inc., announced today that they have been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in a new Medicare alternative payment model designed to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. The Connecticut Hospice, Inc., is one of three sites in Connecticut and 400 nationwide to be selected to participate in building Dementia Care Programs (DCPs) across the country, working to increase care coordination and improve access to services and supports, including respite care, for people living with dementia and their caregivers. GUIDE participants represent a wide range of healthcare providers, including large academic medical centers, small group practices, community-based organizations, health systems, hospice agencies, and other practices.
CMS’ Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE)
“CMS is excited to partner with The Connecticut Hospice, Inc., under the GUIDE Model,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “GUIDE is a new approach to how Medicare will pay for the care of people living with dementia. The GUIDE participants are envisioning new ways to support not only people living with dementia, but also to reduce strain on the people who care for them, so that more Americans can remain in their homes and communities, rather than in institutions.”
Launched on July 1, 2024, the GUIDE Model (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) will test a new payment approach for key supportive services furnished to people living with dementia, including: comprehensive, person-centered assessments and care plans; care coordination; 24/7 access to an interdisciplinary care team member or helpline; and certain respite services to support caregivers. People with dementia and their caregivers will have the assistance and support of a Care Navigator to help them access clinical and non-clinical services such as meals and transportation through community-based organizations.
“We have been offering our Magnolia Program to patients in the final stage of dementia for the last few years, and being able to expand the population we help to include those earlier in the dementia disease cycle is a natural next step for us.”
- Barbara Pearce, President and CEO of The Connecticut Hospice, Inc.
Enhanced Support and Education for Dementia Caregivers
The Connecticut Hospice, Inc.’s participation in the GUIDE Model will help people living with dementia and their caregivers have access to education and support, such as training programs on best practices for caring for a loved one living with dementia. The GUIDE Model also provides respite services for certain people, enabling caregivers to take temporary breaks from their caregiving responsibilities. Respite is being tested under the GUIDE Model to assess its effect on helping caregivers continue to care for their loved ones at home, preventing or delaying the need for facility care.
The Connecticut Hospice, Inc., America’s First and Oldest Hospice, provides comprehensive and compassionate hospice, palliative, and other supportive care management services in a residential home, assisted living center, skilled nursing facility, or at our 52-bed waterfront hospital.
For more information about GUIDE @ The Connecticut Hospice, Inc., please contact: Mary Fitzgerald @ 203-315-7502 or [email protected].
Little did Barbara Pearce and Joseph Mooney know that weeks after marking their first anniversary, their biggest challenge yet, COVID-19, was just around the corner.
Hospice Care Began at Connecticut Hospice
February 1, 2021 marked the 2nd anniversary of new leadership taking over The Connecticut Hospice. It was a relief for the staff when Barbara Pearce, CEO, and Joseph Mooney, CFO, arrived bringing hope for American's 1st Hospice. And, while it is no secret of the mountain of challenges and changes the non-profit has been through over the last two years, it isn't until you hear them spoken out loud that it becomes apparent that Connecticut Hospice is resilient.
“We lost one third of our workforce, including 39% of our nurses, in ninety days in the second quarter of 2020."
In a recent interview, Barbara Pearce, CEO, shared her recollection of her last two years at Connecticut Hospice, with Bruce Tulgan, creator of The Indispensables podcast. Listening to Barbara share the numerous and sometimes grueling challenges the organization has faced during the last two years, it becomes clear why Connecticut Hospice has been around for forty-seven years -- hospice care started at and continues at Connecticut Hospice.
Conversations with real go-to people who stand the test of time in the real world of work. Based on Bruce Tulgan's new book, The Art of Being Indispensable at Work, The Indispensables is a podcast series about how real people, in the real world, become indispensable, go-to people who stand the test of time at work. For more information, visit Rainmaker Thinking.
"Connecticut Hospice may not be able to add days to your life, but it can certainly add life to your days." -Barbara Pearce
Since Connecticut Hospice relies on contributions to provide customized services and therapies that aren't entirely covered by insurance, Scot Haney of WFSB Channel 3’s Better Connecticut came to shed some light on our virtual and socially-distant holiday fundraiser, Lights of Love.
America’s First Hospice
In the interview, Barbara discusses what differentiates Connecticut Hospice from other end-of-life care programs in Connecticut, including our rich history as America's first Hospice. Barbara also references our founder, Florence Wald, former dean of the Yale School of Nursing.
Allowing Visitors During COVID 19
Barbara speaks about how Connecticut Hospice is making significant efforts to continue allowing visitors during COVID. As a holistic program that values patient and family-centered care, Connecticut Hospice understands how important it is for patients to see their loved ones during end-of-life care, most especially during the holidays.
The article also features footage of the glorious water views of Long Island Sound and the beautiful grounds for visitors to gather in larger (up to five people) socially distant groups.
Lights of Love, Annual Fundraiser.
For the month of December, Connecticut Hospice is lighting up the grounds with many trees strung with holiday lights in memory of loved ones. Supporters can sponsor fully lit trees or individual strings of lights or menorah bulbs.
There are also fully decorated trees on display in the lobby that have been donated by organizations and individuals. The decorated trees are offered in a silent auction, which is running through December 13th, 2020.
Barbara offers a special thanks to the Branford Rotary Club who has helped tremendously with the Lights of Love virtual fundraiser, including putting up all of the holiday trees.
"Connecticut Hospice may not be able to add days to your life, but it can certainly add life to your days." -Barbara Pearce
Honoring Our Legacy: Florence Wald and Hospice Care Over the Years
When one enters The Connecticut Hospice, it becomes almost immediately clear what a nurse-centric place it is. There’s a reason for that, and her name is Florence Wald. She was our founder, often called the Mother of Hospice in America.
In 1974, Florence Wald Founded The Connecticut Hospice as America's first Hospice
For many years, the nurses have asked for a picture of our founder on the inpatient floor. Through the good graces of two retired Connecticut Hospice nurses, Gen O’Connell and Dianne Puzycki, and portrait painter, Angela Rose Agnello, (daughter of staff nurse), we unveiled the portrait of Florence Wald on the second floor yesterday, to great applause.
We have written elsewhere about our history, and the long list of our accomplishments, but it’s important also to understand just how Florence Wald changed the care of patients with terminal illnesses. After she spent time at the world’s first hospice in London, Saint Christopher’s, she returned with determination to alter the course of end of life care.
Florence Wald changed the way terminal cancer patients were treated
At that time, in the early 1970s, people often wouldn’t even say the word “cancer” out loud. Some of you remember when it was referred to as the “Big C”. There were even those who feared that cancer could be contagious, and were afraid to be too close to those who had it. Of course, in those days, the likelihood of survival was much lower. Sometimes, doctors didn’t tell patients, or families, what the course of the disease would be, or that person’s prognosis. This led to people dying without closure, or with survivors only beginning to process their grief.
For all these reasons, Ms. Wald decided early on to focus on the care of cancer patients. She was a force of nature, and was determined to change what many doctors and nurses considered standard practice at the time. Researchers can read many of Florence Wald’s papers, thanks to the Yale School of Nursing.
One of the key tenants of hospice care established by Florence Wald, was to provide holistic and comprehensive support and care for patients, caregivers, and family members.
Of particular concerns was what happened to those left behind, especially children of cancer patients. This might not be considered a good idea by many, but she got involved in the lives of the families, even taking some of the children home with her. She wanted them to have the comfort they weren’t getting in the medical system of that time.
In 1983, Connecticut Hospice was the first hospice to be reimbursed by Medicare.
Medicare set up what are now known as COP, Conditions of Participation, and they govern what hospice care needs to include. One of those requirements, 13 months of bereavement care for the survivors, is now practiced everywhere, and most likely came from those early principles espoused by Florence Wald.
Principles of hospice and palliative care were established at Connecticut Hospice in Branford.
Hospice and Palliative Care is a Team Approach
Much of what we consider essential for death with dignity also harks back to those first patients. We now have a Plan of Care for everyone, and patients participate to whatever extent they can in planning for their end of life care. Doctors are now taught in medical school to have those difficult conversations, although many of them say that much more training is necessary. And, even though there is still a tension between the medical profession’s drive to keep patients alive, and the realities of the likely outcomes, we do see people choosing palliative care, when curative treatment becomes risky or speculative.
Cancer is not a verboten word anymore, but our tradition of treating the dying, no matter the cause, continues. We took wonderful care of AIDS patients in the early days of that scourge, and today we accept COVID-positive patients into our care. We try to give patients peace, comfort, freedom from pain, and closure, in whatever form that takes for them.
We honor Florence Wald in our continued pursuit of providing quality, comprehensive, and compassionate care for patients and their families.
Florence would have been proud of us when we arranged for a dying man to say goodbye to his horse on our lawn, or when a social worker put another man’s feet into buckets of water pulled up onto his bed, so that he could feel the seawater one last time. Or, when a patient got to experience one last surprise birthday celebration, and share it with her family living on the other side of the country.
We are grateful for the wonderful legacy we have from Florence Wald and those early nurses who toiled alongside her. The world is a better place because of her work, and what better closure could there be to a life?
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As a not-for-profit, we depend on generous donors to help us provide customized services and therapies that aren’t completely covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance.
Please make a gift to help us sustain the highest standard of care.
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