National Hospice & Palliative Care Month

by David Wiley, President & CEO, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. We’re joining with hospices throughout the country to raise awareness about the many options for people who are affected by life-limiting illness.

“Nearly 1.6 million people living with a life-limiting illness receive hospice and palliative care in this country each year.”

Source: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

This expert care lets each person choose how they wish to live.

40 years of excellence

On November 3, 1980, we at Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care cared for our very first patient. Since then, our expert, compassionate professionals have become the region’s experts in end-of-life care.  

We believe you should have the opportunity to choose how you wish to live. You can trust us to honor and respect your wishes – to help you along the way to make choices that work for you and your family.

We care for our community

We keep our focus right here in Kansas City, serving our community in the 12-county bi-state area. Our leadership is local and our Board is committed to making the best care possible available to every person without regard for their financial circumstances. When we receive donations, 100% of every dollar stays right here in Kansas City to help local families.

Working with the University of Kansas, we help train the physicians of the future through a hospice and palliative care fellowship. And, we provide education and training both for families and for the professional community in our area. Physicians, nurses, CNAs, social workers, chaplains and therapists count on us for continuing education.

Palliative Home Health Care

Many people don’t realize that care is available long before hospice needs to be considered. The focus of palliative care is to help manage pain and other uncomfortable symptoms during serious illness. It’s beneficial for people receiving cancer care. But, it’s also helpful for heart conditions, lung diseases, ALS and many serious illness that cause discomfort.

There are choices that range from visits from an Advanced Illness Support nurse to the full services of our Palliative Home Health Care team.

Unique Programs

Kansas City Hospice provides regional and national leadership with its unique range of programs and services.

Care for children

When a family is coping with the serious illness of their little one, they need the expert, compassionate care of our dedicated pediatric team, Carousel Pediatric Care.

Inpatient Hospice Care

We are proud to offer two hospice houses for inpatient stays when care is too complicated for the home. Both Kansas City Hospice House™ and NorthCare Hospice House are havens for families with peaceful surroundings and 24/7 expert care.

Emotional and Spiritual Care

We recognize that emotional and spiritual care are just as important as medical care.

One of the things I most appreciate about hospice is that care for the family does not end with a death. We have such wonderful social workers, chaplains and grief support specialists who help support families throughout their loved one’s illness. Individual and family counseling as well as support groups are available to each family we have served.

Going a further step, Kansas City Hospice has two programs that go beyond traditional hospice.

• Solace House is a center for grief and healing that provides grief support and counseling from age 3 through adult in a supportive and caring environment.
• Passages is a unique mental health program helping with difficult life transitions. Some people need help dealing with the emotional impact of health problems, and healing from the pain of past trauma.

Celebrating November

This double celebration is a time to help our community learn about the benefits of hospice and palliative care. It’s also a time for us to reflect on both our history and our plans for the future.

I am proud of the way we care for others. The compassion we demonstrate, and the comfort and peace we offer has touched my own life. I am proud to be a part of Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care.

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