THE LAST
BREATH
ENDLESS INSPIRATION AND LOVE
COME IN OUR FINAL MOMENTS.
A
By BARRY KAUFMAN H PHOTOGRAPHY By D. PAUL GRAHAM
It’s said that in our final moments we reveal
who we truly are. With our last breath, we put
a signature to our story.
Few know this better than hospice workers.
Tasked with seeing their patients through
those final moments, they are witnesses to
some of the purest instances of humanity
anyone will take in. They are there to comfort,
not just physically but emotionally.
It is their job to wipe away any tear of guilt, to hear every
story of joyful memories passed. Remorse and regret can
be just as painful as the final throes of illness, and hospice
workers are there to handle all of it.
But make no mistake, in those final moments there are
moments within moments. Glimpses of a life fully lived
reveal themselves as we transition over. The result is a
bittersweet yet endlessly inspirational calling.
Ashley Nasworthy with Pruitt Health has been a
hospice nurse for 11 years. She’s seen just as much sorrow
as joy as she’s pursued the noble cause of providing aid and
comfort to her patients as they transition. We asked what
hospice means to her, and here is her stirring response.
“Hospice isn’t a job, it’s a passion; a calling. I found my
passion when I met Miss Christine. Our standing appoint-
ments were at 12:30 so we could eat cookies and watch The
Young and the Restless. Miss Christine was a widow and
enjoyed the company. I loved our time together, I think I
enjoyed it more than she did.
“Were the cookies and soaps medically necessary?
No. But it made her happy. That’s what mattered to me
most. Miss Christine became another grandmother
to me as we bonded over cookies and daytime TV. We
are invited into a family’s inner circle during the most
difficult transition of their lives. We serve not only as
medical professionals but as those privileged to bear
witness to the most intimate moments of a family’s
life. Throughout this multifaceted journey, the patient,
family and hospice team become one family.
“Hospice offers the unique experience of time which
is a rarity in the medical profession. An opportunity for
the patient to become more than a number, but a person
who receives one-on-southone care and love when it
is most needed. Our team brings a holistic approach
to caring for the patient and family, providing not only
medical care but social, emotional and spiritual care
throughout the journey of life. Spending quality time
with patients, celebrating milestones, sharing tears and
bearing witness to the tenderest moments at the end of
life bring the hospice experience full circle.
“Although Miss Christine took her last breath several
years ago, the music box Christmas ornament I received
from her many years ago still adorns my tree every
Christmas. As a hospice nurse, it is truly a humbling
experience to witness the last breath.”
For more information, contact Pruitt Health at :
(912) 927-9416 or go to PruittHealth.com.
HOSPICE: HOW IT WORKS.
Last year, 1.65 million dying Americans were cared for by hospice. Yet, there are some important facts about hospice that
people don’t know. And this may be keeping people from getting the best care possible, when they need it most.
• Hospice is a philosophy of care that recognizes death as a natural progression of life
• Goal is to provide optimal pain ad symptom management while highlighting quality of life
• Care is provided in the home, skilled nursing facility, assisted living or hospital setting
• Patient and family involved throughout the decision making process
• Cares for the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient
• Grief support provided to the family for 13 months after the patient’s passing
• Services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance companies
• Patients receiving hospice care live an average of 29 days longer
By the
Numbers
2.4 MILLION PEOPLE
A YEAR DIE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
LAST YEAR 1.65
MILLION DYING
AMERICANS WERE
CARED FOR BY
HOSPICE.
6,316 PEOPLE DIE EVERY
HOUR IN THE WORLD.
71.3
THE AVERAGE
NUMBER OF DAYS A
PATIENT RECEIVED
HOSPICE CARE IN
2014.
HOSPICE PATIENTS
AND FAMILIES CAN
RECIEVE CARE FOR SIX
MONTHS OR LONGER.
46
THE PERCENT
OF CANCER
PATIENTS THAT ARE
IN HOSPICE CARE.
6K
NUMBER OF HOSPICE
PROGRAMS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
HOSPICE CARE
HAS BEEN
PROVEN TO
PROLONG
THE LIVES OF
TERMINALLY ILL
PATIENTS.
THE POPULATION
65 AND OLDER WILL
DOUBLE BETWEN THE
YEARS OF 2000 & 2030.
JANUARY/FE B RUARY 2018
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