Living with long-term illness can take a toll on individuals and their families. Treatment for cancer, heart disease or any number of conditions can be accompanied by distressing symptoms, robbing people of their quality of life. Caregivers having to manage appointments, ongoing symptoms, medication, and daily care often find themselves stressed and depleted.That's where palliative care can help. Palliative (pal-lee-uh-tiv) medicine helps patients and families navigate all facets of living with illness, from managing pain and distressing symptoms to providing practical, emotional and spiritual support.For many, palliative care is a mystery, or its automatically associated with hospice. Palliative medicine is a part of hospice end-of-life care, but is a distinct specialty for anyone undergoing treatment for chronic or serious illness.Unveiling the Mystery of Palliative CareHow does it work? When a family accesses palliative care, they gain a team of dedicated specialists: a physician, nurse practitioner, social worker and chaplain who create a care plan tailored to patient and family wishes and needs. Your palliative care team works with your current providers to ensure seamless care.What illnesses can benefit from palliative intervention? Cancer, heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure, AIDS, cystic fibrosis, MS and ALS.What symptoms can palliative care address? Pain, nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and shortness of breath, and more.Who pays for it? Medicare Part B, Medicaid and most private insurance covers most or all services.When should I access care? As soon as the first day of diagnosis of a chronic or life-limiting illness or anywhere along the road of treatment.Where is it provided? Wherever a person calls home.How can I receive it? Talk to your physician, or call a provider directly.The wife of a palliative patient said it best: Oncologists treat cancer, cardiologists the heart. But what happens to the rest of you? Palliative care can be the facilitator for all to work together for the common good of the whole person.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Kelly Bastian, RN, FNP-C, Managing Director at Agape Healthcare, Hospice & Palliative Services. Kelly may be reached at 720-482-1988 or by email kbastian@agape-healthcare.com

At Agape, we understand the challenges facing those who are grieving. We are sorry for your loss, and we are here to help. A part of the hospice benefit, support from our Bereavement Team is available at no charge (and open to anyone in our community who is grieving, even if care was not provided by Agape). Our support includes:Short-term grief counselingPhone calls with bereavement counselorsGrief support groupsEducational materialMemorial services and grief workshopsIn-Services for nursing facilities or other groups.Everyone experiences grief differently yet finding understanding and support from others may help ease the burden. To learn more about Agape Grief Support, call720-482-1988.Agape holds memorial services for family, friends and our team, to come together and honor those who were in our care. Things are different in terms of gathering in this season. Check back for information about our Spring 2021 Patient Memorial Service.

What does it look like to volunteer for hospice? At Agape, the experience is as varied as the personalities, history and interests of each patient and volunteer (who are paired in Match.com fashion). Desiree, whos volunteered with Agape for six years, describes her experience:I felt that there was an incredible connection and subtle communication between the two of us. This individual was my biggest challenge in a lot of ways, but at the same time, my greatest teacher in ways that I couldnt have imagined.I became a hospice volunteer after completing various seminars on death and dying, which I found fascinating. Soon after, I heard of a training volunteer course at Agape Hospice. This experience of service has turned into a gift of life which constantly offers me many wonderful lessons, not only about the different journeys people go through at the end of their lives, but also and most importantly about life itself. It has mainly taught me how to be present with an open heart and an open mind. Not only has this experience been a real privilege, but it also has been incredibly humbling.Many years ago, I had to choose between Agape and another hospice group. I am so happy that I chose Agape Hospice not only because of their excellent reputation and their caring and compassionate service, but also for their very strong and supportive volunteer and professional program.All the people Ive had the honor to serve have been unique and lovely .However, there was one woman who will always live in my heart. We were friends for over three years. She suffered from a debilitating disease, which had left her bedridden with very limited mental and physical abilities. For me, it was very challenging to learn about this disease, and it was tough to figure out whether she would be listening to what I had to say. A lot of times, silence was just what we needed in order to communicate.I visited her once a week in the nursing facility for most of those three years. I talked to her about my daily life while I gently massaged her beautiful hands. A few months before she crossed the light, I brought headphones and music for her to enjoy, and she absolutely loved it. I felt that there was an incredible connection and subtle communication between the two of us. This individual was my biggest challenge in a lot of ways, but at the same time, my greatest teacher in ways that I couldnt have imagined. I am so grateful for this humbling experience.It has been an honor to be part of the Agape Hospice team because of the sense of purpose and the sense of community that it provides. I am constantly learning from our team managers and all the volunteers about what compassion and caring really mean.

Its no secret that navigating the healthcare system can lead to feelings of frustration: Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line. Frustration can become overwhelm for people dealing with serious or complex health conditions, like being tossed around in choppy waters with no land in sight.Palliative care can help. Palliative (pal-ee-uh-tiv) providers are experts in navigation. Whether the medical practice phone tree or the Pacific Ocean, these specialists help individuals understand where they are in terms of their medical scenario, providing the perspective, support and guidance needed for the journey. It happens like this: The palliative provider (say a nurse practitioner), guides the boat to calmer waters, where everyone can take a breather and talk about whats been going on. The NP reviews all the medical information and then works with the patient (and whoever else is in the boat) on a navigational plan moving forward.That plan may start with an all-hands-on-deck approach to getting pain or uncomfortable symptoms under control. It may include planning for whats ahead, like treatment or getting on top of everyday life. The palliative social worker may get onboard, providing moral, emotional and practical support and helping families get prepared for conditions that may lie ahead. Palliative providers dont replace a persons existing doctors. Instead, they gather and share information, acting as a solid communication point among the patient, family and providers, including specialists.This support can be helpful at any stage of a persons diagnosis and treatment for conditions like cancer, COPD, heart disease and others.Palliative care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance. If you or someone you know could benefit from this medical specialty, talk to your doctor or get in touch with a palliative care provider today. Calmer waters can be a phone call away.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Autumn Rowland, FNP-C, Managing Director at Agape Healthcare, Hospice & Palliative Care, and may be reached at 720-482-1988 or by email: arowland@agape-healthcare.com.

Considered to be the model for quality, compassionate care for people facing a life-limiting illness or injury, hospice care involves a team-oriented approach to expert medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to the patient's needs and wishes. Support is provided to the patients loved ones as well. At the center of hospice is the belief that each of us has the right to be pain-free and symptom free, with dignity, and that our families will receive the necessary support to allow us to do so.Hospice focuses on caring, not curing and, in most cases; care is provided in the patient's home. Hospice care also is provided in freestanding hospice centers, hospitals, and nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Hospice services are available to patients of any age, religion, race, or illness. Hospice care is covered under Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans, HMOs, and other managed care organizations.How does hospice care work?Typically, a family member serves as the primary caregiver and, when appropriate, helps make decisions for the terminally ill individual. Members of the hospice staff make regular visits to assess the patient and provide additional care or other services. Hospice staff is on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hospice team develops a care plan that meets each patient's individual needs for pain management and symptom control. The team usually consists of:The patients personal physician; Hospice physician (or medical director); Nurses; Home health aides; Social workers; Clergy or other counselors; Trained volunteers; and Speech, physical, and occupational therapists, if needed.What services are provided?Among its major responsibilities, the interdisciplinary hospice team:Manages the patients pain and symptoms; Assists the patient with the emotional and psychosocial and spiritual aspects of dying; Provides needed drugs, medical supplies, and equipment; Coaches the family on how to care for the patient; Delivers special services like speech and physical therapy when needed; Makes short-term inpatient care available when pain or symptoms become too difficult to manage at home, or the caregiver needs respite time; and Provides bereavement care and counseling to surviving family and friends.Note: This article was submitted by Agape Healthcare. For more information call720-482-1988 or visit their website at www.AgapeHealthcare.com

Understand your healthcare options. This makes all the difference when it comes to selecting the provider thats a match for you. As you face serious and/or life-limiting illnesses, palliative and hospice care enhance your existing medical care. They work in tandem with your current doctors and treatments. Palliative CareIf you have been diagnosed with a complex or terminal illness, palliative care can improve your quality of life by managing pain through additional visits from registered nurses. Your palliative care nurse works with your physicians and specialists. In addition, palliative care supports patients and families through the stress of living with an illness and can help improve their overall quality of life. Hospice CareHospice care isnt just for cancer patients or seniors. It provides emotional, spiritual, and physical comfort to anyone with a life-limiting illness. Wherever a patient calls home, hospice care comes to you. Hospice caregivers also deliver medications, medical equipment, and supplies. Additional ServicesWhen you think of healthcare, you rarely consider the extra help you may need to get through your day. Volunteer, chaplain, and bereavement services go above and beyond normal service offerings. In finding the care provider thats right for you, be sure to ask about all of their services and compare multiple providers. Covered ExpensesMedicare or Medicaid cover almost all palliative and hospice expenses, while private insurance picks up the rest. If your condition improves, you can transfer from hospice to palliative care. Selecting a Healthcare ProviderSelecting healthcare services can feel daunting. Remember, you are more than a patient. You are a person. You deserve to be treated with dignity and respect at every stage in your life. Before you decide on a care provider, meet with the staff to make sure theyre a good fit for you. If at any point, you arent happy or comfortable with your care, let the company know. Youand your healthcarematter. *****Editors Note: This article was submitted by Larry Woods, CEO of Agape Healthcare. For more information, call 720.482.1988 or email info@agape-healthcare.com. See ad on the inside front cover.

In the course of illness there are "good days" and "bad days." Days when you can almost forget you're sick, and days you fear you'll never feel well again. Palliative medicine specializes in giving you more good days.What is Palliative Care?With a focus on caring for people of all ages who have ongoing or serious illness, palliative medicine helps individuals and their families through:Relieving pain and other distressing symptoms as a result of a condition or treatment Helping people plan for life around care and treatment Supporting patients and families through the stress of living with an illness Improving the overall quality of life for patients and their families.Agape palliative visits are always made by a Nurse Practitioner, and sometimes a social worker, if requested for additional support.Agape does not replace existing providers. Instead, we work with a patient's current physicians, including specialists, adding a layer of care and often a central point of communication.Palliative care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance. Studies have shown that those receiving early palliative care not only have improved quality of life but less depression and in some cases, longer overall life expectancy.Start feeling better today through the support of palliative care. The sooner our team can become involved, the more we can help.

The news that treatment is no longer effective, or that an older person is in decline, can seem like the end of hope. Thoughts of cure or more time turn to questions like: Why? What if? and What now?People feel afraid, and that's natural. Unfortunately, a good many people equate hospice care with the fear they feel about death, suffering, mortality or what comes next.The role of hospice isn't to hasten death. Nor is it to prolong suffering. Instead, the hospice team is a highly qualified group of professionals who provide expert medical care and support. (Have you ever met a hospice chaplain or nurse? Good as gold.) They work with a patient's current physician, family and any other caregivers, because providing excellent care is a team effort.Hospice begins with a question: What's meaningful to you? For starters, people want to feel better. Less anxious. Less nauseated. Less sick. They want to be thought of as individuals and not defined by their condition, treatment or symptoms.People want to go fishing, enjoy a bowl of Lucky Charms or get their hands dirty in the garden. They want to write letters. Paint. Tie up loose ends. People still want to accomplish things at the end of life. Most want meaningful time with people they love.Sadly, people fear hospice care and often don't access it until they are too sick for a hospice team to do its best work. Of course, even patients with days to live can feel better through expert pain and symptom management.Accessing the hospice benefit (paid by Medicaid, Medicare and most private insurance), means people have a physician, nurse, CNA, social worker, chaplain and volunteers whose sole purpose is providing the best care and emotional, spiritual and practical support. This extends to family as well.When symptoms are better, people's bodies aren't having to work so hard. Sometimes their overall condition actually improves.If given the opportunity, why wouldn't people choose hospice? Aside from thank you, the statement the hospice team hears most is: We wish we'd had you sooner.Editor's Note: This article was submitted by Kelly Bastian, FNP-C, Managing Director of Agape Hospice & Palliative Care. She may be reached at 720-482-1988 or by email at kbastian@agape-healthcare.com.

We are happy to announce that Agape Healthcare has earned The Joint Commissions Gold Seal of Approval for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commissions (TJCs) national standards. TJC expert surveyors evaluated the organization in an unannounced and rigorous survey March 2021 for compliance with standards of care, including patient safety, quality of care, staff performance and leadership.Accreditation is a voluntary process with re-accreditation every three years. Agape first earned and has maintained accreditation since 2012 and is among an elite few independent hospice and palliative care providers within Denver to hold the distinction of both State Accreditation and The Joint Commission Accreditation.People living with serious or terminal illness deserve the very best care, support and symptom management, says Director of Compliance, Quality and Administrative Services, Amanda Stanley. With Joint Commission accreditation, were making a significant investment in quality care from the top down. This accreditation recognizes our culture of excellence, and it provides a framework for continual growth as we serve our community.Were grateful to the TJC surveyors, who made the process as smooth and straightforward as possible, and the Agape team working together to provide information, field visits and other requests for this survey. Most notable, the seal represents a highly skilled team absolutely dedicated to providing the best possible experience for every patient and family we serve.

Managing a chronic or serious illness has always had its challenges: navigating multiple providers, medications, adjustments and treatments. The coronavirus pandemic has compounded this challenge for many. Fear of contracting the virus, inability to travel to appointments (or long stretches between visits) has left a gap in care and support.With a focus on relieving the symptoms and stress associated with illness, home-based palliative care can fill that gap. The palliative patient and family are visited at home by a nurse practitioner (NP), and often a social worker.Palliative care begins with a question: What's most important to you? The NP listens and learns everything possible about the individual's condition, experience and goals for care. Based on this discovery, the patient, family and palliative team co-create a plan to meet those goals. Working with a person's current medical providers, the palliative NP becomes a central point of contact and an added layer of support. The NP helps people understand the course of illness and provides relief of pain and other difficult symptoms, like nausea, anxiety, sleeplessness or shortness of breath.Living with serious illness can carry tremendous emotional stress: for individuals and those close to them. Yet family dynamics (often complex in the face of illness) may make it difficult for people to have important conversations. The palliative NP and social worker serve to alleviate stress for patients and family. They provide education, resources, planning for life around treatment and opportunity to talk in an environment of understanding and support. What we hear most from families is: We wish we'd found you sooner.If you or someone you care for could benefit from palliative care, please don't hesitate to get in touch with a provider. Palliative care can fill the gap with care coordination, ongoing support and relief in the comfort of home. This medical specialty is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance.Editor's Note: This article was submitted by Autumn Rowland, FNP-C, Director of Palliative Services at Agape Healthcare and may be reached at 720-482-1988 or by email at arowland@agape-healthare.com.

In her post, What I Learned from Off-the-Charts Pain, Jennifer Moore Ballentine notes, until you handle the pain, nothing else matters. Ballentine, the Executive Director of Californias Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care, also notes that the treatment of pain can require a mix of traditional, non-traditional and sometimes unorthodox approaches (as in playing a Dead Can Dance track repeatedly through your ear buds).Managing pain is science and art. Palliative medicine includes all kinds of help and support for patients (and family), but relieving pain is the first order of business.Agape providers are skilled at assessing a persons pain picture and expert at relieving physical suffering. Pain can be complex, related to disease burden, treatment or both (or other). Complex scenarios call for multi-faceted approaches: pharma, holistic therapies, practical strategies and sometimes, a playlist.Sometimes people feel better in a matter of hours; for others its a process, like unwinding a tangle of string or navigating a crisis (and Agape NPs help people plan so they avoid pain crisis related to treatment). Because until you address pain, nothing else matters.

People whove experienced hospice care most often have positive things to say, such as: We couldnt have done it without you. Why then are people who could benefit from hospice often hesitant to access it? In brief: Its complicated. Surely it has to do with admitting that life is short, not in the metaphorical enjoy-every-moment sense, but in the short-term permanent way. That is a hard pill to swallow. And medical advances may leave the door open for the what ifs. When considering hospice, its important to note three things: 1) Treatment to cure a condition(s) typically stops, but quality medical care doesnt. 2) Patients and family receive ongoing practical, emotional and spiritual support. 3) Some people graduate from hospice services.  There are countless individuals whose final weeks or months have been made better because of the total support of hospice. Others receiving hospice care have been known to see improvement in their overall condition, even outliving their prognosis. Famed columnist Art Buchwald said of his own hospice graduation, [Friends] cant believe, after I said goodbye, Im going to Marthas Vineyard instead of Paradise. He lived eleven months beyond his admission to hospice and accomplished a great many things, including promoting hospice care. Why hospice? Accessing hospice care means admitting that a persons life span is relatively short. (Hospice criteria is a presumed six months or fewer.) Regardless of time, the specialized, compassionate care and support of the hospice team can make a tremendous difference for individuals at the end of lifeand those who love them. So, the question becomes: Why not? Those interested in learning more can talk with a medical provider or a hospice provider in their area. Hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance. Editors Note: This article was submitted by Agape Healthcare, Hospice & Palliative Care, which may be reached at 720-482-1988.