Hospice and Palliative Care of Westchester Executive Director Invites Clergy to Work Together in the Continuum of Care
Westchester County's Livable Communities initiative was created to improve the quality of life for people of all ages and enable seniors to remain in their homes as they age with dignity, independence and civic involvement.
White Plains, NY (PRWEB) November 2, 2009 -- Westchester County's Livable Communities initiative was created to improve the quality of life for people of all ages and enable seniors to remain in their homes as they age with dignity, independence and civic involvement.
As a Livable Communities collaborator, Kate Colburn, M.A., Executive Director of Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester (HPCW), recently spoke at a luncheon for clergy members about the place for hospice in livable communities. She also discussed the role of clergy in ensuring quality of life during end-of-life care. The luncheon was part of the county's first regional livable communities conference, Livable Communities: A Vision for All Ages.
Colburn addressed the importance of providing support to community members in their end of life decisions. "Dying at home, in the place dearest to most people's hearts, is one of the most common preferences voiced by Americans when asked about death and dying," said Colburn. "But this final request often goes unfulfilled."
She cited the results of a 1996 Gallup Poll sponsored by the National Hospice Foundation, in which nine out of 10 Americans stated they preferred to be cared for at home if they were terminally ill.
"People who face life-threatening illnesses not only desire to be free from physical pain, but they also need to have their spiritual distress recognized and addressed by members of the clergy," Colburn added. "Hospice provides you with a built-in team that supports your work so that you, as a member of the clergy, are not alone if trying to bring comfort to a patient and a distraught family."
Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester is located at 311 North Street, Suite 204, White Plains, NY. For additional information, visit www.hospiceofwestchester.com or call 914-682-1484.
About Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester: Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester is a private, not-for-profit healthcare agency that provides skilled, compassionate and comprehensive end-of-life home care to patients with any diagnosis and gives support to their families and loved ones.
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