THE MYTHS AND TRUTHS OF HOSPICE

Misconceptions about end of life care can cause unnecessary suffering, both physically and emotionally.

MYTH: Hospice is where you go when there is nothing a doctor can do.

TRUTH: Hospice is a philosophy of care providing medical, emotional, and spiritual care focusing on comfort and quality of life.

MYTH: Good end-of-life care is very expensive.

TRUTH: Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries are covered 100 percent by hospice, and most insurance plans, HMOs and managed care plans include hospice coverage. Patients with no financial resources are not denied hospice services.

MYTH: Hospice is only for the last days of life.

TRUTH: Too often patients begin to receive hospice services when there is little time left. Cornerstone patients and families can receive care for six months or longer, depending on the course of the illness.

MYTH: Hospice is only for cancer patients.

TRUTH: All terminal diagnoses qualify. Cornerstone cares for patients with end-stage chronic diseases like COPD, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular diseases.

MYTH: Choosing hospice means giving up all medical treatment.

TRUTH: Cornerstone provides high-quality pain management and symptom control. Cornerstone Hospice focuses on improving the quality of life, not hastening the progression of the disease.

MYTH: Families are not able to care for people with terminal illnesses.

TRUTH: Cornerstone Hospice involves the family and offers professional support and training in caring for their loved ones. Cornerstone has a variety of specialized programs designed to meet the special needs of patients and their families.

MYTH: There is no hospice care available where I live.

TRUTH: Cornerstone serves patients and families in seven counties including Lake, Sumter, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Highlands, and Hardee Counties. The majority of patients recieve in-home care. When home is not an option, one of the several Cornerstone hospice houses can be the next best thing.

MYTH: After the patient’s death, hospice care ends.

TRUTH: Bereavement services and grief support are available to family members for up to one year after the death of a patient. Friends and family members can meet in individual or group sessions.

If this information surprises you, take time to learn more.

QHOW ARE GYMS EVOLVING TODAY?

In a traditional gym, a person signs you up and typically never speaks to you again. You are left to come up with a workout routine on your own, regardless of whether you know what you are doing or not. Those who are new to a gym see people who look like bodybuilders and feel like they will never look that way. They give up and quit going to the gym.

Things are vastly different at Anytime Fitness. We are following what I refer to as a coaching model of doing things. That means we have personal coaches who are passionate about healthy lifestyles and will help clients build a strong mindset to achieve their fitness goals. We have one or two personal coaches at each of my six locations. There are obviously many benefits to having a personal coach. They show you how to perform exercises correctly, which maximizes results and reduces risk of injury. They can also help you set realistic goals, form healthy habits, and challenge you to be your best. A personal coach is also wonderful because of the accountability factor.

Of course, fitness is not only about what you do inside the gym, but outside the gym, as well. I talked about the coaching model, and that is now extending into the world of technology. Anytime Fitness now has a new app that allows us to perform virtual coaching. That means clients have access to a personal coach who provides them with education, tips, and inspiration. A personal coach might motivate them to go around the block during the evening or give them advice on what to eat for dinner. It’s wonderful for busy people who cannot always get to them gym. The coaches will work out ideas with you whether you’re at the beach on vacation or out of state on a business trip.