In honor of the special kind of care provided by hospice for those at the end of life, Governor Rick Scott has declared this November as Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Month.
November is an opportunity to raise awareness about hospice to patients and families who could benefit from the many services available. Hospice services include pain management, physical therapy, respite care, grief and bereavement therapy for loved ones, among many others.
Hospice services are available wherever the patient calls home, and works to empower the patient's family by providing the needed support services. Hospice regards every day as a gift, and strives to help patient's achieve the best possible quality life.
"An important message we try to get out is that hospice cares about life. If a patient has a life-limiting illness, hospice wants to help make every day of that patient's life one of quality and substance. This care philosophy not only benefits the patient, but the family and loved ones as well," says Paul Ledford, President & CEO of Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA).
Last year, almost 124,000 patients throughout Florida experienced the care and comfort provided by hospice. Even though that may seem like a lot of lives being touched, there are many more Floridians that need to know the benefits that hospice can provide them. Too often patients enroll in hospice within a week of their passing which is not enough time for them to truly benefit from the available services, especially since the hospice benefit is available during the last 6 months of life.