How to be an Advocate for Hospice and Palliative Care

by Lauren Drew Front line caregiving is an all-consuming job. Even if you are technically “off the clock,” you are still carrying the emotional exhaustion of your day. You may work twelve hour shifts, and return home to care for your own family. Finding time for self-care is nearly impossible. I fully understand why most hospice and palliative care providers tell me that they just “don’t have the capacity” for advocacy. To them, advocacy is something that requires tons of time, or maybe a PhD in Political Science, or a close friendship with a Member of Congress. It requires none of these things, but at the end of a busy day, it is the last thing on your mind. I get that. But I am here to tell you that your role in the advocacy process is essential, unique, and impactful.Your role in advocacy is essential. Due to the nature of the care you provide, there are very few patients who are able to advocate for themselves. Families working through the grieving process are still addressing their personal loss, and may not have the necessary understanding of the larger picture of care provision. It does fall to the already exhausted practitioners to tell their stories. “But isn’t that what you do?” Yes, at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the Hospice Action Network (HAN) we do a ton of advocacy on behalf of providers, patients, and families. We work with Congress, CMS, the VA and other organizations to help preserve, protect, and expand...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - Category: Palliative Care Tags: #hpm advocacy drew health policy hpmchat politics tweetchat Source Type: blogs