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This is the message that Calvert Hospice is sharing with the community that the time a family might need us doesn’t follow a calendar or occur only during a season, so our message must make an impression that stays with people said Brenda Laughhunn, Calvert Hospice, Executive Director .

Hospices across the country reach out to raise awareness of the compassionate care that hospice care provides to patients and families coping with serious and life-limiting illness.

We are reminded life’s final seasons can be some of the most fulfilling, especially when patients and families look to hospice care for help and a time to reconnect, forgive and share a family’s love.

The Calvert Hospice team provides expert medical care to keep patients comfortable and able to enjoy time with loved ones. The hospice team answers questions, offer advice on what to expect, and help families with the duties of being a caregiver. The team also provides emotional and spiritual support for the entire family.

“With the help of hospice, patients and families alike can focus on what’s most important – enjoying life together and living the final seasons to their fullest,” said Laughhunn. “It’s about the quality of life.”

“There’s an inaccurate perception among the American public that hospice means you’ve given up,” said J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. “Those of us who have worked in the field have seen firsthand how hospice and palliative care can improve the quality of life. And there’s a growing body of research showing that hospice and palliative care may prolong the lives of some people who receive care.” Laughhunn also stated that, “There is evidence that choosing hospice can ease the way toward healthier grieving for loved ones.”

Although more than 1.45 million patients receive care from the nation’s hospices every year, reports the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Laughhunn shares that, “One of the most frequent comments that hospice continue to receive is, ‘I wish we had known more about hospice sooner.’ Calvert Hospice is dedicated to educating our community so that Calvert County residents will not be left with this feeling.”

Calvert Hospice will host free community forums to help people learn more about hospice care, “We will cover such themes as ‘How to choose, and what to expect, from hospice’, ‘Dispelling common misunderstandings about hospice’, and ‘How to talk to your doctor (and your family) regarding your wishes and values related to your medical care’.”
Calvert Hospice also offers a free Speaker’s Bureau to community groups and service organizations. For more information about hospice care, and how hospice can help your family, contact Calvert Hospice at 410-535-0892 or visit our website at www.calverthospice.org