Hospices help communities grieve during the coronavirus pandemic
Skip to main content
MDHC_Logotype_white
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • This Week's News
    • COVID-19
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition
    • Johnson & Johnson Q1 profit, sales jump, beat Street views
      Hospital agrees to pay $2.7M to resolve fraud complaint
      Sharp HealthCare, Ochsner Health look to better manage online patient reviews
      Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic lead hospitals pushing for COVID-19 vaccination
    • Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic lead hospitals pushing for COVID-19 vaccination
      Chronic disease wave looms post-pandemic
      Claudia Williams writing on whiteboard in a room filled with people during a planning session.
      Momentum returns for health information exchanges
      Cassie Leonard
      Removing an obstacle that impedes IT interoperability and vaccination efforts
    • Alaska tribal health groups distribute vaccine far and wide
      Some healthcare associations moving full steam ahead with conferences starting in summer
      COVID hospitalizations in Michigan top fall surge; Beaumont seeing nurse 'burnout'
      Calls mount for Biden to track U.S. healthcare worker deaths from COVID
    • BCBSA wants to cut racial gap in maternal care by half in five years
      BlueCrossBlueShield_06_03_07_0.jpg
      Blue Cross bosses pocket pay hikes
      UnitedHealthcare sees Q1 profits rise and other key earnings takeaways
      California re-opens enrollment for health insurance coverage
    • Neva Fairchild
      Digital accessibility challenges remain for telehealth
      Healthcare workers in a triage dialysis center.
      Gaps in disaster preparedness leave patients at risk
      Billions spent on coronavirus fight, but what happens next?
      10% of prescription drugs make up majority of Medicare drug spending, study finds
    • Johnson & Johnson Q1 profit, sales jump, beat Street views
      Private equity's estimated healthcare spending halved in first quarter
      UH reports $54.7M operating income for 2020 despite significant COVID-related costs
      CMS issues new guidance to enforce price transparency rule
    • A case study in HIE consolidation
      Dr. David Brailer
      Q&A: First ONC head Brailer's vision for information sharing
      Claudia Williams writing on whiteboard in a room filled with people during a planning session.
      Momentum returns for health information exchanges
      Digital health funding hit $7.2B in Q1
    • Chronic disease wave looms post-pandemic
      Healthcare workers in a triage dialysis center.
      Gaps in disaster preparedness leave patients at risk
      Neva Fairchild
      Digital accessibility challenges remain for telehealth
      Michigan expands antibody treatment to cut hospitalizations
    • Tenet's general counsel to retire at end of year
      Oscar names new virtual-first care division president
      Redfield joins Big Ass Fans, which promotes controversial COVID-killing technology
      Next Up Podcast: Modern Healthcare's editor Aurora Aguilar talks new content direction
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Insights
    • ACA 10 Years After
    • Best Practices
    • Special Reports
    • Innovations
    • The Affordable Care Act after 10 years
    • A close-up of a woman receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
      Providers in underserved communities work toward equitable vaccine distribution
      Josh Bradshaw
      How one rural Illinois county vaccinated 84% of its senior citizens by early March
      Dr. John Fischer
      Patient-reported outcomes tool for hernia surgery helps physicians improve care
      New care model helps primary-care practices treat obesity
    • Arrows made of binary code.
      Collaboration across the C-suite key to implementing data blocking, interoperability rules
      A graphic that includes a man in a wheelchair and images of binary code.
      Post-acute facilities face hurdles in healthcare's interoperability push
      A family photo of the the Hangens.
      Stressing the already burdened pediatric behavioral health system
      Jennifer Pannone and her daughter Victoria.
      Mental health access for children needs attention
    • Ryan McGinnis
      Finding efficiencies in the OR using tech
      Dr. Daniel Hall
      UPMC pilots machine learning, telehealth to inform patient transfers
      A woman being recorded using her inhaler on a smartphone.
      Digital check-ins, connected inhalers help control asthma
      A phone screen showing the question, "Mary we hope this information was helpful and we'd like to keep guiding you. Are you interested in knowing when it's your turn to receive the vaccine?"
      Chatbots, texting campaigns help manage influx of COVID vax questions
  • Transformation
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Mayo Clinic launches two tech companies
      Diabetes patients at high risk for COVID-19 are managing conditions more effectively
      Nearly 1 in 5 Americans skipped care due to cost last year
      COVID-19 long-haulers need holistic treatment, providers say
    • Amazon gives out $12M under next phase of AWS diagnostics development initiative
      Malpractice premiums peak in 2020, AMA survey shows
      A rendering of a cancer research institute at the University of Southern California that will include 5G.
      Healthcare providers determine how to best use ultrafast 5G
      Two-thirds of largest hospitals aren't complying with price transparency rule
    • Hospitals face specialty pharmacy challenges with insurer competition
      Addressing long-standing barriers needed for mental and physical health integration
      A close-up of a woman receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
      Providers in underserved communities work toward equitable vaccine distribution
      The waiting room of a Kaiser Permanente clinic at a Target location.
      Health systems revamp their approach to retail clinics
    • Payers, providers clash over telehealth reimbursement as Congress mulls changes
      When money talks. Why cash pay is becoming more popular
      CMS wants to bump pay for hospices, SNFs next year
      CMMI pauses new Direct Contracting model applications
  • Data/Lists
    • Rankings/Lists
    • Interactive Databases
    • Data Points
    • Health Systems Financials
      Executive Compensation
      Physician Compensation
  • Op-Ed
    • Bold Moves
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Vital Signs Blog
    • From the Editor
    • Dr. Alan Kaplan
      The risks, rewards of taking organizations 'where they haven’t gone before'
      Wellstar CEO calls adapting for the pandemic her bold move
      Howard P. Kern
      Recognizing the value of telehealth in its infancy
      Dr. Stephen Markovich
      A bold move helped take him from family doctor to OhioHealth CEO
    • Paul Tufano
      Healthcare's most important prescription—empathy
      Drs. Hal Paz and Joshua J. Joseph
      Mobilized to fight the COVID crisis: a blueprint for community and academic partnerships
      Dr. Stephen Markovich
      Making sure we're aligned along the path to achieving inclusion
      Barry Ostrowsky
      Ending racism is a journey taken together; the starting point must be now
    • Cassie Leonard
      Removing an obstacle that impedes IT interoperability and vaccination efforts
      Reed Hartley
      Data is the key to repairing the nation's healthcare system
      It's time we fulfill the ACA's promise to broaden access to lower-cost drugs
      Five lessons for securing our children's future
    • Letters: Eliminating bias in healthcare needs to be ‘deliberate and organic’
      Letters: Maybe dropping out of ACOs is a good thing for patients
      Letters: White House and Congress share blame for lack of national COVID strategy
      Letters: VA making strides to improve state veterans home inspections
    • Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      How blockchain could ease frustration with the payment process
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Three steps to better data-sharing for payer and provider CIOs
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Reduce total cost of care: 6 reasons why providers and payers should tackle the challenge together
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Why CIOs went from back-office operators to mission-critical innovators
  • Awards
    • Award Programs
    • Nominate
    • Previous Award Programs
    • Other Award Programs
    • Nominations Open - Top 25 Innovators
      Nominations Open May 10 - Top 25 Minority Leaders
      Nominations Open May 24 - Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top 25 Innovators
    • Minorities in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Minority Leaders
      • - Minorities to Watch
    • Women in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Women Leaders
      • - Women to Watch
    • Excellence in Nursing Awards
    • Design Awards
    • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
    • 100 Top Hospitals
    • ACHE Awards
  • Events
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Webinars
    • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • emburse certify modern healthcare custom media webinar logo lockup
      Sponsored Content Provided By Emburse
      Webinar: Making it easy to manage costs
      virtualmed staff modern healthcare custom media logo lockup
      Sponsored Content Provided By VirtualMed Staff
      Webinar: Best practices for creating a successful telepsychiatry program
      telehealth visit man touching neck while speaking to doctor on computer
      Sponsored Content Provided By Accumen
      Webinar: How telehealth has evolved into a standard of care
      Webinar: Avoid interoperability penalties. Modern Healthcare. Sponsored by Hall Render
      Webinar: Avoiding interoperability penalties
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Healthcare Transformation Summit
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Virtual Briefings
      • - Hospital of the Future
      • - Mental Health
      • - Patient Safety & Quality
      • - Strategic Marketing
      • - Virtual Health
      • - Workplace of the Future
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
  • Listen
    • Podcast - Next Up
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Video Series - The Check Up
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • Next Up Podcast: Managing the COVID-19 vaccination rollout with Dr. Gary Little
      Next Up Podcast: Modern Healthcare's editor Aurora Aguilar talks new content direction
      Dr. Chris DeRienzo
      Next Up Podcast: Building team spirit in the wake of COVID-19
      Mikelle Moore
      Next Up Podcast: Mikelle Moore on recognizing all hospital workers during the pandemic
    • Beyond the Byline: Kids' unchecked mental health needs pose long-term consequences
      Beyond the Byline: How COVID-19 has impacted hospital finances
      An older man sitting on a hospital bed with his back toward the camera.
      Beyond the Byline: Upcoding could explain why hospitals are increasingly billing for the most complex treatment
      Beyond the Byline: Insurers are betting on virtual-first plans as COVID-19 shifts care pathways
    • James garvert neustar healthcare insider podcast image
      Building on basics
      Healthcare Insider Podcast Episode Art - Premier
      Why Roger Weems and other consultants are leaving the big firms to join Premier
      James garvert neustar healthcare insider podcast image
      Outreach during COVID-19
      ann barnes healthcare insider podcast image
      Leading with intention to promote diversity and inclusion
    • The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto of Valley Children's Hospital
      The Check Up: Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
      The Check Up: Dr. James E.K. Hildreth of Meharry Medical College
      The Check Up: Matt Eyles
      The Check Up: Matt Eyles of AHIP
      The Check Up: Dr. Tom Shanley
      The Check Up: Dr. Tom Shanley of Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
    • ivana naeymi-rad one on one intelligent medical objects
      Video: Ivana Naeymi Rad of Intelligent Medical Objects
  • MORE +
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Hospice
November 06, 2020 06:00 AM

Hospices help communities grieve during COVID-19

Ginger Christ
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    The Las Vegas community was shocked in 2017 after a gunman killed 58 people at the Route 91 Harvest music festival. Less than a mile down the road, the Nathan Adelson Hospice responded.

    Some hospice staff members had been at the concert, while others knew people who had been injured or killed. They all felt how the shooting reverberated throughout their community.

    "We really started getting inundated with calls from people who said, 'I just need to talk to someone,'" said Karen Rubel, president and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice, a not-for-profit organization that operates two inpatient units.

    Nathan Adelson offered support groups, worked with people individually and provided chaplains and bereavement counselors for a community ceremony to honor the victims.

    "When COVID-19 hit, we employed some of the same principles of being available to the community," Rubel said.

    Nathan Adelson, like other hospices across the country, is stepping up to serve as a resource for local residents during the pandemic. Experienced in grief and bereavement counseling, the organizations are inviting those dealing with loss of a loved one, normalcy or socialization to connect and work through their struggles.

    "We try to be the community's partner even for bereavement services, not just hospice," Rubel said. "As we move into the holiday time, we are anticipating many more requests for bereavement and support."

    It's something hospices have done for years. When there's a school shooting, an employee death or a traumatic accident in a community, their chaplains and bereavement counselors are on hand to help first responders, coworkers and friends and family cope.

    Grieving differently

    For Elaine Jarrett, the holidays will be her first in 45 years without her late husband, Bob, who died of cancer in March. Bob was in and out of the hospital due to complications in February and March as COVID-19 safety precautions set in, eventually preventing Elaine from visiting. He ultimately spent a matter of hours at Nathan Adelson before he died.

    Elaine has been unable to have any services for him, but hopes a small group can gather to celebrate his life this month, when they would have celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary.

    "I'm seven months down the road and having a dickens of a hard time," Elaine said.

    Elaine, who now lives alone for the first time since she was 19, has been attending Adelson's bereavement support groups virtually, although she wishes they were in person. She feels the loneliness of his passing regularly, and at times will go into the den to catch the scent of him that lingers on his favorite leather chair.

    "In the group, it helps in a way because at least for me it helps me to understand that you're going to go on. Everything is not going to be the same but you're still going to go on, and you're still going to live a productive life."

    Grief during the pandemic is different than other grief, hospice leaders say.

    "For the first time in many years, people are dying alone. Their families are not getting to say goodbye," said Dr. Kathleen Benton, president and CEO of Hospice Savannah in Georgia. "You're talking about grief that is likely to outlive this pandemic for years to come."

    Mourners can't achieve closure, she said, because they drop loved ones off at the emergency department and never get to see them again before they die.

    "It's actual PTSD people are having," Benton said. "They're not able to even believe their loved ones were dying."

    Jacquelin Osterman last saw her husband Paul, 58, when he was transferred to the ICU from urgent care on March 29 because he was struggling to breathe. He was likely exposed to COVID-19 in February.

    "With COVID-19, you can't see them once you go into the hospital. There's no kind of contact, only people giving you updates," Jacquelin said.

    A grief counselor at Hospice Savannah reached out to Jacquelin and her two adult sons after Paul died in April. The counseling has helped the family deal with their grief, anger and questions, Jacquelin said.

    "You're just inundated with the what ifs: What if I had not brought him to the hospital that day and just let him ride out COVID-19 at home? We don't know if they did everything they could. We just don't know," Jacquelin said.

    The Ostermans haven't had a funeral yet. COVID-19 has limited their ability to travel back to New York, where they're originally from, and kept them isolated. The entire family contracted the virus at the same time as Paul and has limited social interactions since, Jacquelin said.

    "That's where we needed the grief counseling. It's the only connection you can make. Usually when someone dies, you have friends and family," Jacquelin said. "We have some very, very good friends here but we haven't seen them."

    Often, without a service, the loss doesn't feel real, Benton said.

    "You have to memorialize your loved ones. It's the only way to begin our process of grieving," Benton said.

    Hospice Savannah holds a Tree of Light service every December to recognize those who died that year. This December, the organization is planning to livestream the event so that mourning families across the country can join. Staff will light candles, read the names of those who died and share pictures.

    "We're just taking it to a totally different level because of the nation's need," Benton said. "What we're finding is that more people than ever need to do this because they didn't get to do it in the correct ceremonial way."

    Hospice Savannah plans to ask for a small donation for the memorials but won't turn anyone away because of cost.

    "I just can't let dollars rule this opportunity out for people," Benton said.

    Making the numbers work
    Maintaining a community grief service often comes down to grants and donations, hospice leaders said. Hospices are required by Medicare to provide bereavement services to clients and their families, for which they receive reimbursement, but they don't receive those funds for external support services.

    For not-for-profit Hospice Savannah, which operates a brick-and-mortar facility for grief services and employs four full-time counselors, the cost can be hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, Benton said.

    "Most hospices, almost exclusively nonprofits, go beyond regulatory requirements for hospice bereavement. We lose money on those programs," said Lynne Sexten, president and CEO of Agrace, a not-for-profit hospice and supportive care services provider in Wisconsin. "But we're experts in grief associated with death, so just over time many of us nonprofits began to offer that to community members as well."

    Agrace develops new community support group as the need arises. The agency has offered substance overdose groups, suicide groups and partner loss groups for LGBTQ individuals, among others, Sexten said.

    "What we're hearing now is the need for COVID-19 specific groups for people who are survivors of loved ones who passed away from coronavirus," Sexten said.

    Agrace operates a grief support center, and about 30% of its support services are dedicated to the community outside of its hospice, Sexten said.

    For years, Agrace didn't charge for community services but two or three years ago started asking for a nominal fee to offset costs not covered by donations, Sexten said. They offer a sliding fee scale to make sure people can afford the service.

    Rebranding as a business
    As hospices' roles in the communities expand, some are rebranding to reflect that change.

    Years ago, Hope Healthcare in Fort Myers added healthcare to its name to reflect its offerings beyond hospice, said Dr. Samira K. Beckwith, president and CEO of the not-for-profit hospice and supportive services organization. The organization even calls its palliative care "comfort care."

    "No one is interested in dying," said Beckwith.

    Often, workers will say they are from Hope. Staff shirts and name tags just read "Hope."

    "We've been accused of being disingenuous," Beckwith said. "I just think in community mental health, there's so much stigma."

    By using more approachable language, Hope Healthcare can reach more people, she said. Sometimes people just aren't ready to hear certain words associated with death, she said.

    "People can only handle so much," Beckwith said. "You have to use different language with different people."

    For its part, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, a not-for-profit that represents hospice, palliative care and advanced illness providers, added "healthcare" to its name this year to better reflect its members' services, COO Beth Kurta said.

    "Within this current time of the pandemic, people are grieving the loss of jobs, normalcy, graduations, moments in time," Kurta said. "Members have found the ability to help in that space."

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    HHS: Hospice providers may use grants to offset fundraising losses
    HHS: Hospice providers may use grants to offset fundraising losses
    CMS extends Medicare Care Choices Model for one year
    CMS extends Medicare Care Choices Model for one year
    Sponsored Content
    Get Newsletters

    Sign up for enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today
    MH Magazine Cover

    MH magazine offers content that sheds light on healthcare leaders’ complex choices and touch points—from strategy, governance, leadership development and finance to operations, clinical care, and marketing.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Instagram

    Our Mission

    Modern Healthcare empowers industry leaders to succeed by providing unbiased reporting of the news, insights, analysis and data.

    MDHC_Logotype_white
    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • This Week's News
      • COVID-19
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition
    • Insights
      • ACA 10 Years After
      • Best Practices
      • Special Reports
      • Innovations
    • Transformation
      • Patients
      • Operations
      • Care Delivery
      • Payment
    • Data/Lists
      • Rankings/Lists
      • Interactive Databases
      • Data Points
    • Op-Ed
      • Bold Moves
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • Vital Signs Blog
      • From the Editor
    • Awards
      • Award Programs
        • 100 Most Influential People
        • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
        • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
        • Health Care Hall of Fame
        • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
        • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
        • Top 25 Innovators
        • Minorities in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Minority Leaders
          • - Minorities to Watch
        • Women in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Women Leaders
          • - Women to Watch
      • Nominate
      • Previous Award Programs
        • Excellence in Nursing Awards
        • Design Awards
        • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
      • Other Award Programs
        • 100 Top Hospitals
        • ACHE Awards
    • Events
      • Conferences
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
        • Healthcare Transformation Summit
        • Leadership Symposium
        • Virtual Briefings
          • - Hospital of the Future
          • - Mental Health
          • - Patient Safety & Quality
          • - Strategic Marketing
          • - Virtual Health
          • - Workplace of the Future
      • Galas
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
      • Webinars
      • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • Listen
      • Podcast - Next Up
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Video Series - The Check Up
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • MORE +
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Newsletters
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing