Learn about the issues facing hospice care in the US and how the “heart” of hospice is essential for end-of-life care.
My guests today, Helen Bauer RN and Jerry Fenter, are the hosts of the popular podcast The Heart of Hospice. Having worked as a hospice nurse and hospice chaplain, these two are passionate about offering education and support to anyone who needs information about end-of-life care. Their projects include advance care planning, resources for professional and personal caregivers, and consultations with hospices about staff education. Learn more about their work at their website:
This episode includes:
- Why Helen and Jerry started The Heart of Hospice
- The challenge of educating the public and medical professionals about the benefits of hospice care
- How COVID-19 is impacting hospice care right now
- Other difficulties facing hospice care in the US
- Reasons to be hopeful about the future of hospice
- Self-care tips for professional and personal caregivers
- The importance of memorial services for hospice staff to process grief
- Resources available from their website
POEM: Compassion by Miller Williams
"Have compassion for everyone you meet even if they don’t want it. What seems conceit, bad manners or cynicism is always a sign of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen. You do not know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone.” From - Healing the Divide: Poems of Kindness and Connection - edited by James Crews
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Interview on the Dr. Pat Show
- IANDS 2020 Virtual Conference
- Get Healing the Divide here
- Get 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying here
- Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio
- Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
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