As we celebrate Pride Month, it is a time for us to reflect on the experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community and the ongoing work needed to create a more inclusive healthcare environment, particularly in hospice and palliative care. As a…

It’s okay not to be okay. It is natural for the holidays to bring up memories of loved ones lost as it is a time focused on togetherness. The absence of what is lost can often feel all-consuming. Whether your…

Leon, an 8-year-old black lab is retiring after 7 years of hospice service. He is retiring at the recommended age for his breed, says Alison Wagner, director of volunteer services for Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice. Arbor Hospice of…

When someone is dying, family members and other loved ones are suddenly thrust into the role of caregiver, often with little preparation or knowledge of what to expect. According to the Associated Press-NORC Center’s Long-Term Caregiving Poll, nearly 40 percent…

Patients in hospice care receive support and help from caregivers such as loved ones and friends, or from professional caregivers, in a care-support facility. But what happens to the pets of those who enter hospice? What happens when their owners…

Dr. Karen Wyatt, M.D., a hospice physician and death awareness advocate, has seen patients in a variety of settings including hospice, nursing homes, and hospitals – and though the level of physical comfort may vary depending upon the care, the…

Whether you’re a caregiver or a health care practitioner, the importance of holding space for the person who’s dying is enormously important. It allows the patient to be able to spend their remaining time in a level of quality end-of-life…

A report published earlier this year confirmed that community-based palliative care was associated with a 50 percent reduction in emergency room visits during the last year of patients’ lives. While this isn’t a brand new finding, it did clarify the…

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), which is the oldest and largest leadership organization working on behalf of hospice and palliative care, is reporting that 34.5 percent of patients died or were discharged within seven days of admission…

The recent statement from the Bush family about former First Lady Barbara Bush’s decision to receive comfort care instead of hospitalization has created a surge of interest and questions from the public about what “comfort care” actually means. There are…