The Heart of Hospice was thrilled to talk with Frank Ostaseski, a pioneer in end of life care.  According to his bio on the Metta Institute Website, https://www.mettainstitute.org/Fbio.html, Frank co-founded the Zen Hospice Project, the first Buddhist hospice in America, in 1987. 

“He guided that groundbreaking work for almost 20 years establishing a longstanding model for mindful and compassionate care.  In 2005, he founded the Metta Institute, training countless healthcare clinicians and caregivers and building a national network of educators, advocates, and guides for those facing life-threatening illness.”  Frank shared his wisdom and experience with Jerry and Helen during his wonderful interview.  

In this interview Frank explains the purpose behind his book, The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully.  The Five Invitations can best be understood as best practices for anyone navigating a life transition.  To learn more about this powerful and inspiring book, visit the website www.fiveinvitations.com

You can read more about the mission of The Heart of Hospice, and how we got started at theheartofhospice.com.  You’ll find information on self care, advance care planning, and support for personal and professional caregivers.  Remember, you are The Heart of Hospice!

Hospice billing can be a complicated process to tackle, and just when you figure it out, things change. CMS recently released the Final Rules for Fiscal Year 2020.

It features some rebasing of payment for the various hospice levels of care.  The reimbursement for Routine Home Care is going down, while the payments for General Inpatient Care and Continuous Care will have a slight increase. 

If you’re a hospice professional, you should have the most up-to-date information about the hospice payment structure through Medicare. You can find the details you need to know at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/fiscal-year-2020-hospice-payment-rate-update-final-rule.  The NHPCO podcast also provided some insight into the Final Rule - check out those episodes at https://www.nhpco.org/?s=final+rule+2020. 

You’ll find more information about hospice and end of life care at http://www.theheartofhospice.com/.  The Heart of Hospice wants to encourage you in your healthy self care and share information about hospice philosophy.  While you’re on the website, you can find more of our podcasts or listen to them on your favorite spot - look for us on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google Play, iHeartRadio, or Radio.com.  Remember, no matter where you are in your hospice journey, you are The Heart of Hospice!

Hospice administrators and managers are faced with the unique job of providing self care for hospice teams.  Multiple or difficult deaths, personal losses, and the daily wear and tear of a hospice workday creates a need for self care of the team. 

Jerry and Helen discuss ways that team leaders can support and sustain healthy interdisciplinary teams that continue to provide excellent care in the long term.  Providing for the self care needs of the team can influence the quality of care in a good way, reducing staff turnover and creating strong work family groups. Healthy happy teams are better equipped to serve their patients.

Experiencing a loss among the team can create trust and strength if the right support is provided.  Sometimes an outside professional counselor is the best way to provide that support. Finding rituals to acknowledge the deaths of patients can be part of meaningful self care for your team.

Connect with us at theheartofhospice.com to find self care resources for personal and professional caregivers, information on advance care planning, and how you can volunteer with a hospice agency in your area. When you visit the website, subscribe to the podcast so you can listen on your favorite podcast spot - Google Play, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Radio.com, or Apple podcasts.

Care professionals are found in many different careers - firefighters, law enforcement, funeral home staff, mental health professionals and counselors, emergency staff.  Along with end of life teams, these care professionals work to meet the needs of people in their communities.

Working in these jobs takes its toll. Compassion fatigue and burnout can shorten careers and reduce job satisfaction.  Managing secondary grief through healthy self care is vital to the wellbeing of care professionals. The Heart of Hospice is here to help with resources, support, and encouragement.

Also mentioned in this episode is HPNA, the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association.  We encourage you to learn more about HPNA at their website, advancingexpertcare.org. 

You can find out more about us on theheartofhospice.com.  There’s information on self care, hospice 101, and resources for both personal and professional caregivers. Take a minute to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts - Spotify, Radio.com, Apple podcasts, Google Play, or iHeart Radio.

Jonathan Prescott has made it his life’s work to teach patients, caregivers, clinicians, and anyone who seeks to learn about contemplative practices.  A Board Certified Chaplain, Clinical Chaplain, Pastoral Counselor, and an ordained student of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, Jon’s work supports those who are seriously ill and nearing end of life.

In his interview with Jerry and Helen, Jon shares some personal rituals he uses in his contemplative life to find deep joy and connection with others.  Learn more about Jon and his fellow contemplative practitioners at https://wisecaregiving.org/. You’ll find learning opportunities at introductory workshops as well as 2-3 day retreats, or reach out to Jon to discuss a https://wisecaregiving.org/consultations/. 

Connect with more information about end of life care, advance care planning, and support for unpaid and professional caregivers on theheartofhospice.com.  Share your questions with us by sending an email to [email protected].  No matter where you are in your hospice journey, you are The Heart of Hospice. 

Part of practicing healthy self care is being self aware. Jerry and Helen do a self care check-in, sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of their self care habits. 

Even the strongest self care habits can get off track. Keeping your mind, body, and spirit in balance can be challenging. Maybe it’s time to take a good look at the current status of your self care regimen. Do a Self Care Check-In along with the hosts of The Heart of Hospice. How self aware are you when it comes to your self care? 

You can get more tips on healthy self care at theheartofhospice.com. Check out the resource pages for suggestions for self care, advance care planning, and other resources for end of life professionals, as well as unpaid caregivers. 

Be sure to share this episode with someone you care about. Look for The Heart of Hospice podcast on iTunes, Radio.com, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and Google Play - and subscribe to keep up with the latest episodes!

We’re celebrating the start of Year 4 of The Heart of Hospice podcast!  All our wonderful guests, countless bloopers, a few tears with tons of laughter, and amazing connections with end of life professionals - we’re so grateful for all of it. 

You can celebrate this milestone with us by sharing the podcast and website with someone who can benefit from information about end of life care. Thank you for sharing our hospice journeys over the last 3 years and get ready for more great moments in Year 4! 

You can read more about how The Heart of Hospice got started at theheartofhospice.com.  There’s more information on self care, advance care planning, and support for personal and professional caregivers.  Remember, you are The Heart of Hospice!

Fred Fuller will tell you that he gets more than he gives in his work with terminally ill patients.  Fred is one of a talented group of musicians who work with the non-profit organization Swan Songs to provide concerts for the dying in the Texas hill country. 

Fred shares his story with Jerry and Helen, as well as some of his beautiful music. Known as the “Singing Cowboy”, Fred has been present for some intensely moving moments with those he serves.  Learn more about Fred’s story and his music at http://www.thesingingcowboy.net/home.html.  You can find out more about Swan Songs and support their work by visiting swansongs.org. 

You’ll also find more information about end of life care at theheartofhospice.com, including topics like advance care planning, professional hospice organizations, and tips for both unpaid and professional caregivers.  Remember to subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen - Apple podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Google Play, or Radio.com.

What’s the best thing to say to someone who’s grieving?  It’s hard to know what to say that won’t make the hurt worse. A good rule of thumb is to remember the conversation needs to be about them, not about ourselves.

In this week’s Heartbeat from The Heart of Hospice, Jerry and Helen talk about the pitfalls of trying to comfort someone who’s experienced the death of a loved one and share tips on using a support response instead of shifting the attention.  Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. Sitting in silent presence can be more helpful than any words.

Connect with us at theheartofhospice.com to find out more about grief and bereavement, encouragement for your self care, and information about hospice care.  Take a minute on the website to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast spot - Apple podcasts, GooglePlay, Spotify, iHeart radio, or Radio.com. 

Hospice professionals are always looking for better ways to standardize documentation.  It’s vital that each discipline have reliable resources to support and improve their documentation.

The Spiritual Care Association, an affiliate of the Healthcare Chaplaincy Network, has created a chaplaincy taxonomy that’s available as a free download from their website.  It’s a great tool for spiritual care documentation that will enable agencies to measure how chaplain interventions contribute to improved patient outcomes and high quality care.

You can find the chaplaincy taxonomy on the website for the Spiritual Care Association by visiting spiritualcareassociation.org.

Connect with us at theheartofhospice.com to find resources for personal and professional caregivers including self care, advance directives, and  how you can volunteer with a hospice agency in your area. When you visit the website, subscribe to the podcast so you can listen on your favorite podcast app - Google Play, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Radio.com, or Apple podcasts.