After Ray, my life partner, was diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson’s disease, he lived in a nursing home. Ray was unable to manage making calls on his own, so the only time we could talk to one another was when a nurse had time to help him. Not being able to touch Ray, see him, or feel confident that he was receiving the best care left me feeling helpless.
When my friend, a social worker, suggested I contact Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo (HPCB) to see if a nurse could visit Ray, I replied, “But he isn’t dying,” mistakenly believing that hospice was only available for end-of-life care. I have since learned that HPCB also provides palliative specialized medical care for individuals living with a serious illness, regardless of where they reside, including a nursing facility, hospital, or their own home.
Kelley Clem, HPCB’s Vice President of Advocacy and Education, says, “Ray was a whole human being, rather than a medical algorithm. We focus on the whole person, including their support system, and not just the disease.” Gloria adds, “Anyone important to the patient is important to us.”
#dementiacare #parkinsonsdisease #nursinghomecare
#pandemicchallenges #hospicecare
#palliativecare #caregiverstories
#patientadvocacy #endoflifecare #wholepersoncare
Read more about the article with this link: https://lnkd.in/ebfAeU42
Executive Director of Business Development at Culinary Depot/Founder of the Hope Organization
1wIt's truly inspiring to see the dedication and compassion of the nursing team at AdventHealth. Their hard work and commitment make a real difference in patients' lives every day.