What motivated you to become a health care service professional?
In childhood, I watched my mother caring for my ill grandparents and I learned from her that “living a good death is as important as living a good life.” Years later, I met end of life care pioneer Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross. As a result of that meeting, I left my corporate career and followed my heart and passion to work in the hospice arena.
What level of training and education are essential today for a professional to provide the kinds of service you deliver?
Essential education varies according to one’s discipline. Beyond that, today’s health care professional must maintain ongoing training because so much is changing so fast. We are being asked to do more and more with less and less. It’s no longer enough to focus on the needs of our patients and families. We must also be aware of the clinical, emotional, social, financial and organizational resources available, work within the limits of those resources, and continue to provide excellent care.
In what areas of health services do you perceive the greatest need and why?
If you look at the exponentially growing numbers of baby boomers approaching senior status, the shortage of skilled nurses, the growing list of increasing mandated health care requirements, the crisis in health care services and health insurance, the continuing misguided belief that testing to the limit/cure at all costs vs. quality end of life care is preferred — it’s clear that we are approaching an “eye of the needle” time in our history at lightning speed. So, in my view, the greatest need for health services is in end of life care.
What are the greatest challenges you face in your role as a health care service professional?
Mother Teresa said, “Care givers are the quiet heroes of the world… and how are we caring for them?”
The greatest challenge for me and for my colleagues is maintaining resilience, flexibility and good health in the face of ever increasing demands on our time, skills and energy. One way we are addressing this at North Central Hospice of Visiting Nurse and Health Services in Vernon is by sponsoring workshops providing skills that help lower stress and increase productivity.
How will the kinds of health care reforms being considered, if enacted, affect the way you and/or your organization deliver services?
Those of us in home- and community-based health care services know that we are in a unique position to provide effective, user-friendly solutions in end of life health care. Currently, there are no reforms addressing increasing these services, just the opposite, in fact. Cuts are coming down the pike that could severely limit our ability to support our patients and their families — particularly those with Medicare. This would be such a terrible loss to so many who will be needing and deserving of comfort at home. We believe in dedication to care at VNHSC and have offered it to our community for decades. â–Â
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Position: Bereavement Coordinator
Visiting Nurses and Health Services of Connecticut
Quote: In my view, the greatest need for health services is in end of life care.
