National Home Care and Hospice Month: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about National Home Care and Hospice Month (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. National Home Care and Hospice Month is celebrated on November 1st.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of National Home Care and Hospice Month, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as fun facts you ought to know about National Home Care and Hospice Month.

📅 What day is National Home Care and Hospice Month 2024?

In 2024, National Home Care and Hospice Month is on Wednesday, November 1st. It is the 1st Wednesday in November; in 2024, it is Friday. There are until the next observance. You also can explore all the exciting details and facts about November 1, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

In November, we honor and recognize all the dedicated professionals who work in the field of home care and hospice services. This includes a wide range of individuals such as doctors, nurses, caregivers, social workers, and physical therapists. Hospice care is divided into four different types, each with its own specific demands and skill sets. These professionals provide their expertise to deliver routine home care, continuous home care, general inpatient care, and respite care. Despite the proven value of private home care in the United States, those who provide these services often receive low compensation, despite their unwavering commitment to ensuring patients experience a dignified life and death. This month is dedicated to acknowledging and appreciating their contributions.

📜 National Home Care and Hospice Month History

Dr. Saunders established the first hospice center in the UK, St. Christopher’s Hospice, in 1967. Florence Wald then created Connecticut Hospice in the US in 1974 after visiting St. Christopher’s. Although legislation to provide government funding for hospice services was proposed that same year, it was not passed. Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s book, “On Death and Dying,” played a role in influencing some of the legislation related to hospice care. The National Symposium on Hospice Care was held in 1975, leading to the establishment of the National Hospice Organization (NHO) in 1979. In 1982, Congress enacted legislation to establish a Medicare hospice benefit. The National Hospice Foundation was founded in 1992. Over the years, there have been various advancements in hospice care, including the creation of TV advertisements and a PBS series, the expansion of hospice benefits, and the recognition of important milestones and individuals in the field. However, despite these developments, today’s hospice workers are often underpaid and there is a high demand for trained specialists in the profession.

✅ National Home Care and Hospice Month Facts

🔖 Growing Demand
By the year 2025, there will be around 1 billion older people worldwide, a significant portion of whom will need hospice or home care. Although the number of elderly individuals is projected to triple by then, the number of caregivers is only anticipated to double.

🔖 Below Minimum Wage
In 2016, caregivers earned a median hourly rate of $9.25, while agencies retained 60-70% of the money patients paid as agency fees.

🔖 Unpaid Hospice Workers
More than 15 million individuals in the United States offer their time and services to support and assist the elderly or individuals with disabilities.

👍 Why Is National Home Care and Hospice Month Important

Home care and hospice providers think that people nearing the end of their lives should be able to die quietly and on their own terms. The elderly frequently prefer to remain at home, where they feel more at ease and are less likely to develop other ailments. Home care makes this degree of independence available to many people who would not have had it otherwise.

These specialists devote physical, emotional, and mental resources to each person in their care, and they frequently cope with the emotional impact when the terminally ill deteriorate or die. Furthermore, many caregivers drive considerable distances to see each of their patients and sometimes earn less than $15 per hour. We should all pitch in to help alleviate these pressures!

The elderly who choose to maintain their independence by remaining at home and dying on their own terms reap significant psychological advantages. Their pleasant circumstances help them to pass away with dignity, which is quite significant. Indeed, home care harkens back to a time when caring for the terminally ill at home was the norm. There’s also the advantage of being closer to their loved ones in their dying days.

🙂 How To Observe National Home Care and Hospice Month

⚡ Visit a loved one in hospice
While it is important to acknowledge and appreciate hospice and home care professionals on this day, it is equally crucial to give special attention to individuals who are in need of care during the final stages of their lives or while battling a difficult illness. Take this opportunity to honor those in your life who are in hospice by sending them flowers and spending quality time with them.

⚡ Celebrate hospice professionals
There are multiple ways to bring some joy into the lives of hospice staff. These can include organizing a special meal for them, expressing gratitude or presenting awards to caregivers, arranging a “Caregivers Night Out” where they can take a break while volunteers look after their children, or using social media to acknowledge and appreciate a caregiver who has made a positive impact on your life or the life of a loved one.

⚡ Promote awareness of issues for hospice workers
Home care and hospice workers, similar to many other essential workers, are severely underpaid. These individuals travel long distances every day to ensure the wellbeing and cleanliness of the people they care for, and that is just the beginning. Hospice work can be emotionally and physically demanding as patients often require extensive care, and employees have to witness them endure difficult situations. Today, let us advocate for better pay and acknowledgment for these employees.

📅 When is National Home Care and Hospice Month?

Discover all 🔗 November holidays, including 🔗 Health and other 🔗 Elderly holidays.

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