To the editor:
November is National Hospice Palliative Care Month, a time to raise awareness about the specialized care that hospice and palliative care provide to patients and their families.
Both focus on the patient’s needs, expert care, comfort, and quality of life.
Did you know that hospice isn’t just for the final days of life? As former President Jimmy Carter has shown us, hospice can provide many months of comfort and support, helping patients and families navigate the end stages of illness with dignity and care.
Hospice also supports families and caregivers, providing counseling, respite care, and resources to help them during this challenging time when a cure may no longer be possible.
Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and stress of serious illness, can be provided at any age and any stage of the illness, and is available while receiving curative treatment.
Since 1978, Care Dimensions has been a driving force in expanding access to serious illness care through hospice and palliative care. As the largest hospice in Massachusetts, Care Dimensions provides care for patients wherever they call “home”— private residences, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospitals, group homes, and our hospice houses in Danvers and Lincoln.
If you or your loved one is facing a serious illness, do not hesitate to find out how hospice or palliative care can help. The sooner you get the care you need, the sooner you can benefit from an improved quality of life.
Stephanie Patel, MD,
MBA, FAAHPM, HMDC
President and CEO
Care Dimensions
