Heart ‘n Home Hospice & Palliative Care announced the addition of new Medical Director, Clayton Reinhardt, D.O. to their team. Reinhardt says, “I am delighted to resume hospice participation after relocating to Central Oregon a year ago, where I served in hospice for almost four years. Though outsiders view hospice service as a likely medical and emotional burden, I consider it an honor and a privilege and find it invigorating. I also provide urgent care and occupational medicine care when not serving hospice patients and families.” Dr. Reinhardt is passionate about others knowing the truth about the hospice benefit and gladly answered these common myths about hospice:
MYTH: Hospice hastens death.
TRUTH: Hospice neither hastens nor postpones dying. Just as doctors and midwives lend support and expertise during the time of child birth, hospice provides its presence and specialized knowledge during the end-of-life process. In hospice, we strive to add quality and affirm a patient’s life.
MYTH: We try to “sell” our version of dying to patients.
TRUTH: We hope to enhance the patient’s wishes and values. When a patient is admitted at an appropriate time, hospice care can improve his or her quality of life. Research shows that healthcare providers feel responsible to discuss hospice with their patients when the time is right, as it provides a kind of care that they are unable to give. Nearly three-fourths of family caregivers agree that hospice care is a better choice for a terminally ill patient. Of this group, 69 percent believe that involvement in hospice makes a better impact on the patient’s family as well.
MYTH: Hospice care will result in over-medication and a disconnect from loved ones.
TRUTH: We strive to enhance the whole family’s experience. It is the goal of Heart ‘n Home to have the patient as pain free and alert as possible. We are constantly consulting with the patient, which helps us to be successful in reaching this goal. Hospice enables patients to create more memories with love ones.
