A Better End to a Good Life Bryan Lazaro RN – Hospice of Arizona Linda K. Mather RN, CALN – Integral Senior Living Stephanie Templeton – Stratford Assisted Living

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A Better End to a Good Life

Overview: • Why hospice services benefit your marketing strategy • Barriers that prevent excellent experiences for patients and families • 8 strategies to overcome barriers by building bridges for communication

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A Better End to a Good Life

The shift in resident’s perspective: “Aging in Place” concept More and more Residents and Supporting families are looking for a single “home” to spend the rest of their life in.

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1998 2006

Percentage of Residents who died in an ALF

A Better End to a Good Life

Are you preparing yourself for a changing consumer base? Generation X and beyond are more educated and more savvy consumers who are expecting more. (Denver Business Journal, 2009)

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A Better End to a Good Life

Hospitalization or Rehab Hospice ALF Level of Care

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A Better End to a Good Life

Why does End-of-Life Care Require More Support? • Increased need for symptom management • Increased need for emotional / psychosocial

support • Increased need for hygiene / dietary / and mobility

support • Increased need for one-on-one care

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A Better End to a Good Life

What is a quality hospice experience? “…with her there were people who bonded with her and they treated her like family. . . . They were willing to step up and they provided really the best care she could possible get. (ALF RN) – (Gerontologist, 2009)

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A Better End to a Good Life

Do not assume that a good relationship is automatic because you are interfacing 2 professional organizations. “There was just no coordination between the hospice people and the assisted living people until I complained and made everyone sit down together.” – Doug Cooper (Family member who reported his experience in the New York Times: Assisted Living vs. Hospice: Who is in Charge? 2012)

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A Better End to a Good Life

“Most important indicator to a high quality death experience was: the quality and nature of relationships between families, ALF staff, and the hospice • Respectful collaboration • Clear communication • Use of complementary knowledge and skills of staff • Shared Expectations about the care of the patient” (Gerontologist, 2009) #ALFA2014

A Better End to a Good Life

If you are aiming at a consumer base that desires “Aging in Place” your first strategic move is to build or strengthen relationships with hospice providers. If you have not begun forming these partnerships or have weak partnerships in place, expect this process to take at least 6 months to 1 year.

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A Better End to a Good Life

Barriers to a good Hospice Experience: • ‘Expertise’ vs. ‘Ownership’ • Poor planning, communication, and expectations • Lack of mutual goals and interests

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A Better End to a Good Life

8 Ways to Build Bridges: 1. Setting expectations with hospice

providers. • NHPCO Worksheets

2. Care Coordination Meetings 3. Hospice Staff In-Services

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A Better End to a Good Life

4. Increasing Family Focus 5. “5 Hellos/Goodbyes” 6. Prescriptive Communication

• Warnings about rigidity 7. Facilitating individual relationships 8. Involving families in care coordination

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A Better End to a Good Life

Questions?

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