Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans die in pain without adequate care or attention. Have you ever wondered who would take care of you if you had a life-limiting illness? In our culture, it's a common desire to remain at home and to rely heavily on our family and community for support and assistance. While care for those with life-limiting illnesses can be complicated and require medical expertise, the care does not have to be provided in a hospital setting. Hospice care is available to patients in their own home, whether that is a private residence or a long-term care facility. The goal is to provide a family-centered concept of care with experienced, skilled professionals who can be trusted to handle your medical needs. Hospice assists patients and families in creating a dignified, nurturing environment in the place of your choice. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 98 percent of the more than one million people with life-limiting illnesses that were served by a hospice program in 2004 were cared for in their own home. While African Americans suffer from the highest mortality rates from cancer and other chronic illnesses, they represent less than 10 percent of patients who receive hospice care. This statistic is unnecessarily disproportionate because the African-American community may not be properly informed by doctors, clergy or support groups about the range of options available to help patients and families cope physically and psychologically. Haven Hospice, north Florida's leader in end-of-life and palliative care, does not want anyone to needlessly suffer because they did not know about the available services. To gain a better understanding, let's review some of the myths and truths about hospice services: Myth: Hospice is a place. Fact: Hospice is a concept, not a specific place of care. Hospice care usually takes place within the comfort of your own home, but can be provided in any environment in which you live, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and residential care facilities. Myth: Hospice is only for people who can accept death. Fact: Hospice is a generic term for a unique system of medical care and support provided for individuals and their families dealing with a life-limiting illness. Hospice services focus on maximizing quality of life by actively and aggressively managing pain and other physical symptoms, while simultaneously providing emotional and spiritual care for you and your loved ones. Hospice care is about providing you with choices in how you live your life. Hospice care neither prolongs life nor hastens death. It helps you balance benefits versus burdens related to the type of care you receive. Haven Hospice welcomes inquiries from families who are unsure about their needs and preferences. Myth: Hospice care is expensive. Fact: Hospice care is covered by most insurance carriers, including Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers. If you do not have health insurance, you will still be eligible for hospice care. At Haven Hospice, no patient is turned away based upon their ability to pay for services. Myth: You can't keep your own doctor if you enter hospice. Fact: Hospice care is provided through an interdisciplinary team approach, and your primary care doctor is part of that team. The team also includes the hospice medical director, registered nurse, licensed social worker, aide, volunteer and chaplain. Myth: Hospice is only for people with cancer. Fact: More than one fifth of hospice patients nationwide have diagnoses other than cancer. Haven Hospice provides care for adult and pediatric patients with a range of life-limiting illnesses, including, but not limited to cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and AIDS. Myth: You can only access hospice bereavement services if your loved one was in hospice care. Fact: As a family centered concept of care, hospice focuses as much on the grieving family as it does on the patient. Haven Hospice also provides grief services to the community at large, serving schools, churches and the workplace.
Not-for-profit Haven Hospice began serving members of the community in 1979 as Hospice of North Central Florida. The organization was founded because of the need for better end-of-life care services in our community. In October of 2005, the organization changed its name to Haven Hospice because it better represents the mission of the organization - to act as a caring, compassionate and clinically competent HAVEN for residents of our communities, and their loved ones, when they are dealing with a life-limiting illness. Haven Hospice of Jacksonville is part of a not-for-profit hospice network that serves Duval, Nassau, Clay, Baker and St. Johns counties. The end-of-life organization specializes in providing a network of services to patients in long-term care facilities, hospitals, four Haven Hospice care centers, or in their own home. Haven Hospice also provides ongoing grief and bereavement support services, pediatric support programs, home medical equipment and educational programs for those affected by life-limiting illnesses. For more information, visit http://www.havenhospice.org or call 800-727-1889. | 
