Journal of American Medical Association Study Finds Home-Based Hospice Care Rates Favorably Compared to Institutional Settings

Report Illustrates the Significance of Providing Quality Home Care at the End of Life

Wallingford, CT - Hospice and Palliative Care of Connecticut VNA, an affiliate of Masonicare, reports on a recent Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) study demonstrating the importance of high-quality home-based care for seriously ill and dying persons.

The objective of the JAMA study was to evaluate the American dying experience at home and in institutional settings. Over the past century, nursing homes and hospitals increasingly have become the site of death. The study concluded that many people dying in institutions have unmet needs for symptom improvement, physician communication, emotional support and being treated with respect.

The report indicates that the last place of care for 67.1% of decedents was an institution. While 32.9% of the sample died at home.

Of that 32.9%:

• 38.2%% Did not receive nursing services
• 12.5% Had home nursing services
• 49.3% Had home hospice services

The report further concludes that family members of decedents who received care at home with hospice services were more likely to report a favorable dying experience.

The study stated that: "high-quality end-of-life results when healthcare professionals (1) ensure desired physical and emotional support (2) promote shared decision making (3) treat the dying person with respect (4) provide information and emotional support to family members and (5) coordinate care across settings".

"Hospice care is really about living, not dying," explains Timothy Boon, vice president of Hospice and Palliative Care of Connecticut's VNA, an affiliate of Masonicare. "It is about living fully those last months, weeks or days that one has left."

Connecticut VNA's Hospice program deploys teams of nurses, home-health aides, social workers, spiritual counselor, bereavement counselors, dieticians, pharmacists and other professionals to help patients have a meaningful experience at the end of their life.

"Traditional medical care, such as that usually received in most health care institutions, views death as something only to be avoided and, consequently, does not prepare patients and families appropriately for the last stages of life. Hospice care recognizes the whole person - physically, medically, emotionally, socially and spiritually - and considers the patient's loved ones as an important part of our care. This holistic approach allows patients and families to acknowledge their pain and loss at the end of life and assists them in working through those issues. This truthful and compassionate care, as demonstrated by this study, creates better outcomes and improved satisfaction with the end of life experience for patients and their families."

About Hospice and Palliative Care of Connecticut VNA by Masonicare:

The hospice concept includes physical, emotional and spiritual support for the patient and their loved ones. While hospice services are usually centered in the home, hospice staff can also provide care in local hospitals and extended care facilities. Connecticut Office Locations: Brookfield, Danielson, East Hartford, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Hartford. For more information contact CT VNA at 1-888-633-6664 or online at www.connecticutvna.org.

About Masonicare:

Hospice and Palliative Care of Connecticut VNA is an affiliate of Wallingford-based Masonicare, the state's largest not-for-profit provider of senior-focused healthcare services and retirement living opportunities.