[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17717]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL HOME CARE AND HOSPICE MONTH

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, our country strives to provide exceptional 
support for the sick, elderly and terminally ill in home and hospice 
settings. These vulnerable individuals, as well as their family 
caregivers, are indebted to the many professionals and volunteers who 
have made it their life's work to serve those in greatest need. Nearly 
83,000 hospice professionals, 46,000 hospice volunteers and 1 million 
home health providers, nationally, contribute significantly to our 
health care system through their compassion and commitment.
  Hospice care provides humane and comforting support for over 744,000 
terminally ill patients and their families each year. These services 
include pain control, palliative medical care and social, emotional and 
spiritual services. Hospice supports the basic human needs for feeling 
comfortable, in a familiar environment, surrounded by loving caregivers 
and family during the later stages of life. Hospice care is an 
effective model for the interaction of interdisciplinary teams of 
health professionals, family members and volunteers in providing care 
for those needing care in our communities.
  The movement to provide health care and supportive services in the 
home environment has evolved rapidly over the past few decades. Home 
care services typically bring the expertise and compassion of providers 
in numerous disciplines into the setting where most sick patients 
prefer to reside--the home. More than 11 million Americans benefit each 
year from this approach.
  We have made great strides in advancing care for all Americans 
through the recently enacted Affordable Care Act. A key provision in 
this effort is the establishment of a Medicare hospice concurrent care 
demonstration program, which would allow patients who are eligible for 
hospice care to also receive all other Medicare covered services during 
the same period of time. Following establishment of this program, I am 
hopeful that this country will move in a direction where individuals 
and families do not have to make the difficult choice between hospice 
and curative care in the Medicare Program.
  On behalf of Oregon home health and hospice providers celebrating 
November as home care and hospice month, I thank the thousands of 
everyday heroes such as home health nurses, therapists, and aides, who 
work tirelessly to provide professional health and palliative care and 
support to millions of Americans in need of quality health services. 
Their efforts allow families to stay together, and provide greater 
comfort and dignity to those in our communities.

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