I recall that study and also was pleasantly surprised. I am sure you have read Atul Gawande’s article “Letting Go” on palliative care published in the New Yorker some years ago.
At least as to Medicare Hospice, the actual services provide have been expanded greatly over the years going much further than "the last 2 weeks" out to months to include home nursing, real time monitoring, delivery & recordation of meds & most importantly an intimate gathering of friends & family. Also, possible with private insurance in-hospital even in the last stage of multiple system arophy (MSA).
People still equate Hospice with cancer . I’m hoping Jimmy Carters acceptance of Hospice and news anchors’ explanation of what Hospice is can change the public’s interpretation.
As a hospice nurse for 17 years it amazes me that people continue to not understand the concept of hospice and palliative care .
Putting on my data-visualization hat, I think reducing this to a pair of pie charts does your readers a disservice. I clicked through on the "data" link and the line chart in Figure 1 there both contained more information and presented it in a much more impactful way.
Nice. You nailed it: “It also means they are receiving the right care in the end—meant to prolong comfort, not suffering.”
And on top of that, palliative care sometimes *prolongs life (with comfort), which surprised me.
I recall that study and also was pleasantly surprised. I am sure you have read Atul Gawande’s article “Letting Go” on palliative care published in the New Yorker some years ago.
Yes. And we will get Atul on here for a Q&A in the coming months!
Great
Your piece in Slate on Ali as fantastic.
Thoughtful articles, both this one and the one you wrote for Slate about the peaceful passing of Muhammad Ali.
terrific piece on a difficult but very important subject!!
Thank you!
At least as to Medicare Hospice, the actual services provide have been expanded greatly over the years going much further than "the last 2 weeks" out to months to include home nursing, real time monitoring, delivery & recordation of meds & most importantly an intimate gathering of friends & family. Also, possible with private insurance in-hospital even in the last stage of multiple system arophy (MSA).
So true. It’s now a spectrum of care which benefits patients at different phases.
People still equate Hospice with cancer . I’m hoping Jimmy Carters acceptance of Hospice and news anchors’ explanation of what Hospice is can change the public’s interpretation.
As a hospice nurse for 17 years it amazes me that people continue to not understand the concept of hospice and palliative care .
Thank you for the article .
Yes. The "Good Death". Death with dignity, family, and home.
The thing that gets me is that gulf between how many want to die at home and how few (still) do.
Lots of avoidance and fear.
Putting on my data-visualization hat, I think reducing this to a pair of pie charts does your readers a disservice. I clicked through on the "data" link and the line chart in Figure 1 there both contained more information and presented it in a much more impactful way.
Yeah maybe the line graphs are better.