Denton County Living Well Magazine September/October 2019 | Page 19

OLIVIA ROGERS Olivia is a leading voice in health care and senior services and the Chief Nursing Officer of VNA Texas. Dear Olivia, If we choose hospice for my dad, does that mean we can no longer take him to his family physician he has seen for 30 years? ~Needing Coordinated Care Dear Needing Coordinated Care, It is a difficult decision to choose hospice for anyone, and it is especially difficult when families have a close relationship with the physicians who have been caring for them for so long. Choosing hospice does not mean that your primary care physician will no longer be involved in your dad’s care. On hospice, the patient can choose one physician, other than the hospice physician, to be involved in the care planning and the patient can go to that doctor as needed or desired. The hospice physician will work with your physician to carry out a patient-centered care plan. ~Olivia Dear Olivia, We have been in and out of the hospital multiple times in the past year with our mom, who is suffering from congestive heart failure. This time, the hospital physician is recommending hospice and we feel it’s too soon. Is there a reason they are mentioning hospice, even though she is still fighting? ~Not Ready to Give Up Dear Not Ready to Give Up, Hospice often brings to mind people who are in their final days of life. This frequently creates a dilemma for patients and families who are struggling to make a decision, especially when it feels too soon. When a doctor refers a patient to hospice, it is because the physician believes the patient has six months or less to live if the disease takes its normal course. This does not necessarily mean the patient will pass in six months, but that people in that stage of the disease process tend to pass away within six months. That is the qualification for hospice care as defined by Medicare. The goal of hospice is to maximize a patient’s time with their families and loved ones in a comfortable, safe environment. The hospice care team comes to the home to control symptoms and helps the family plan for the future. ~Olivia 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] DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 17