Celebrating National Homecare and Hospice Month in November

October 29 , 2009, WASHINGTON, DC — The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), and its members across the nation, have again declared November as “National Homecare Month and National Hospice Month.” The themes for 2009 are as follows: Homecare: Love in Action and Hospice: Great Care at Last.

The intent of this campaign is to raise public awareness concerning both hospice and homecare. Hospice aspires to help people live fully until the end of their days. Homecare is the provision of physician ordered physical therapy, or skilled nursing plus the attendant personal care, which assists the disabled person in getting out of bed, dressing, and other personal maintenance, as well as basic survival in instances where they may not be able to even feed themselves.

President Barack Obama has praised homecare workers, both professional and unpaid, for the manner in which they have used their lives for the benefit of others. The President lauded this most noble profession.

In addition to raising public awareness of homecare and hospice service, National Homecare Month and National Hospice pays homage to the millions of workers in the homecare and hospice industry. While paid homecare service totaled about $100 billion last year, the value of services provided by friends and family to frail or disabled persons tops $300 billion a year.

“We are engaged in the last great civil rights battle,” said NAHC President Val J. Halamandaris. “We are fighting for the soul of America. We can be a society which ignores the needs of a massive number of aged and disabled citizens, making them dependent and placing them in institutions; or we can be a society that empowers everyone to be active and produce members of society and living in their own homes. Almost all Americans would choose the second road.”

What is homecare? The answer is freedom. It is the right to continue to stay at home in independence, where you prefer to be, even in the face of major health problems. Homecare means having a high quality of life. And when the end comes, hospice means helping people to settle their unfinished business; crossing the bar with dignity, grace and joy, and in supporting their families –the survivors who mourn their loss.

Please visit our “Homecare & Hospice Month” section. This will lead you to the section dedicated to honoring such an important month. From there, click on the buttons above the picture for more resources and to learn more about making the most of your media relations efforts. If you require pictures of homecare and hospice providers in action then click on the above picture to visit the Caring Photography website for more information.