Denton County Living Well Magazine January/February 2019 | Page 16

KATHERINE KRAUSE Katherine is a leading voice in health care and senior services and the President and CEO of VNA Texas. Dear Katherine, My mother was on hospice care with VNA several years ago, and it was such a blessing to my family that I would like to give back somehow. How can I get involved and help others? ~Grateful daughter Dear Katherine, Are all hospices the same? We are interviewing multiple hospice companies to care for my wife and they seem to offer different types of services. How do we know who to choose? ~Difficult to choose Dear Grateful Daughter, Volunteers play a vital role on our hospice team. It is so valuable, in fact, that Medicare requires volunteers provide a portion of the care offered to patients. Hospice volunteers are an integral part of the hospice team providing a variety of services such as visiting with patients and families, playing music, and sitting with patients while caregivers run errands. We also need volunteers to provide administrative support in the office. Skills such as sewing, massage therapy, cosmetology services and pet therapy are also welcome and very popular with our patients. Visit www.vnatexas.org/volunteer to learn more. ~Katherine Dear Difficult to Choose, The answer is a complex “yes and no.” Hospice is a Medicare benefit, much like the prescription drug or hospital benefit. This means Medicare regulates hospice and determines what services must be provided by all hospice providers. In this sense, all hospices are required to offer the same exact services. However, there are differences in how services are marketed and whether the company is for profit or not for profit. There may also be slight differences in which medications will be covered, how often a nurse visits, and what other additional services, like music therapy, are offered to patients and caregivers. When interviewing companies, ask about the frequency of care and about the care team to help you make your decision.. ~Katherine vnatexas.org N I J H 2016 Readers’ Choice ACCREDITED VNA Hospice Care VNA Care Choices VNA Hospice Care focuses on living life to its fullest and treating you with the dignity and respect you deserve. As a nonprofit, our bottom line is patient support and care provided by our highly qualified staff. Following the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, patients and their loved ones have many questions about the best course of action. VNA Care Choices provides supportive care services in the home while continuing treatment with your current physician. To schedule your free in-home informational visit please call [phone] or email [email protected] For volunteer opportunities please call [phone] or email [email protected]