HJNO May/Jun 2021

Q&A 32 MAY / JUN 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   one’s life here on earth is such a blessing. Encouraging them to share verbal senti- ments of love and hugs, kisses, tears, etc. as their love one takes his/her last breath is indescribable. Valteau-Sorapuru: I recently had a young father/husband pass away in his wife’s arms while holding his 8-year-old daugh- ter’s hand. Prior to the father’s death, his daughter went around the neighbor- hood to collect other kids’ signatures on a softball to honor her dad. The signed softball idea was inspired by the father’s role as a softball coach. He coached many of the neighborhood children. Has working in hospice changed your thoughts on dying? McCann: Yes! One thing that is certain when working in hospice is that it makes you face your own mortality. As a nation, we do not talk or think much about our deaths, but working in hospice makes one look at death as a certainty and a reality. On the other hand, working in hospice has given me a much greater appreciation for life! Not that I think about or dread death, but work- ing in hospice has made me acknowledge the difference between a bad death (in pain, alone and the family distraught), and a suc- cessful death. Valteau-Sorapuru: Working as a hospice social worker has changed the way I view death. I see dying as a beautiful experi- ence, akin to a mother giving birth. It’s a time when the family has the opportunity to share their memories of their loved one. Knowing death is imminent also gives fam- ily members time to begin the grieving pro- cess while the person they love is still alive. What future trends do you see developing in hospice care? McCann: I see palliative care programs being more the norm as hospices begin to bridge the gap between people who are not yet meeting hospice criteria but still are experiencing symptomatic discomfort. Hospices will begin establishing rapport and education and actively serving these peo- ple, thus enabling an easier transition from traditional medical care to hospice care. Hospice continues to identify and reach out to educate underserved populations in the community. Increasingly understanding cultural and economic barriers to accept- ing hospice care will help to assure higher access to all! Are there racial disparities in end of life care? McCann: The most current demographic information from the NHPCO (2017) shows that white utilization of hospice care was 82.5% as compared to 8.2% African Amer- ican, 6.4% Hispanic and 1.7% Asian. Some factors that play into this disparity include cultural beliefs, religious beliefs, language barriers and mistrust of healthcare in gen- eral. The major factor affecting access is limited information. Many people remain unaware of their right to access hospice care. Hospices must take the responsibil- ity to reach out and provide education to underserved populations. Therefore, as a nurse and minister, I am committed to serve and educate, giving special attention to the underserved populations. n “The role of a hospice social worker is to respect each person’s point of view around the death process and to bring calm to the storm. ” —VALTEAU-SORAPURU