To the Editor:

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, a time to raise awareness about the compassionate care offered by hospice and palliative care providers. In and around Putnam County there are multiple hospice and healthcare providers, all focusing on the comfort and dignity of those coping with a serious or life-limiting illness. Hospice professionals and trained volunteers provide expert care to keep patients comfortable and informed.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHCPO.org) research findings indicate eight out of 10 Americans would want to be cared for in their homes if facing a life-limiting illness. Hospice makes this happen and almost 70 percent of patients receive care in their place of residence.

Whether it’s the family home, nursing home, residential facility, or hospice inpatient setting, hospice teams are available to patients and families wherever compassionate end-of-life care is needed. Palliative care brings these same skilled services earlier in the course of an illness and can be provided along with other treatments a patient may want to pursue.

In addition to the hospice providers, our community has access to an emerging resource, the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association. We are committed to providing information for those coping with a serious or life-limiting illness, facilitating conversations about advanced care, and raising awareness about the compassionate care provided through hospice and palliative care.

If you or a loved one is facing a serious or life-limiting illness, the time to find out more about hospice and palliative care is right now.

You can find us on the web at pchpca.org or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We would be delighted to talk with you.

Julianne M. Miranda

President, Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association