Discussions of death are topics that no one wishes to talk about, but it is something that is inevitable to all.
Hospice Care Network (HCN), a non-profit organization that assists families as their loved ones enter the final moments their lives, has increased their outreach in a new campaign called “Bridging Cultures with Comfort.”
The campaign is targeted to various communities, specifically the Latino and Asian communities, to help their physical and emotional transition, according to HCN.
“We want to improve the care that people receive in the community, and also educate individuals about hospice,” said Maureen Hinkelman, president and Chief Executive Officer of HCN. Hinkelman added that there are many cultural taboos and misconceptions about hospice care including that “It’s not for me” or “I’m not at that stage yet,” opinions she said HCN hopes to change.
HCN, which has locations in Queens, Suffolk and Nassau Counties, keeps a majority of their patients in their own homes, while the patients who cannot remain at home due to health concerns are cared for at one of their hospices.
Assemblyman Jose Peralta, who gave a proclamation to HCN at a ceremony on Friday, July 24, admitted that he only recently learned about hospice care. “The Latino and Asian communities need to know about Hospice,” he said.
Regina Jeter-Jemmott, a team manager at HCN who oversees the Southern Queens district, explained how HCN educates the various communities in their network.
“We go to different churches, nursing and senior homes and tell them what we have,” said Jemmott, who also said that people are skeptical about it.
The cultural diversity program manager of HCN, Priscilla LeMarie, acknowledged the challenges of overcoming people’s reluctance toward hospice care. “It’s not about death and dying, it’s about family decisions for what patients want.”
After tough deliberations, Mayra Cruz and her family decided to bring her stepfather to HCN. Cruz’s stepfather, diagnosed with level 4 stomach cancer, refused to go anywhere but the family felt they had run out of options.
A concerned Cruz was told about HCN by a physician. “A lot of times, doctors have recommended this [HCN], but we never knew what it was,” she said in Spanish.
After learning more Cruz enrolled him. “We received a lot of support, while he was alive, both medically and spiritually.”
Since the passing of her stepfather, Cruz has volunteered for HCN sharing her experiences with others. “I’m trying to spread the word, not just in Spanish communities, but others as well,” she said.
Correction
In the originally copy of “Hospice reaches out to Latinos and Asians” one of the locations where HCN provides services was incorrectly printed. HCN provides services in Nassau County and “Manhattan.”
