Last spring, Joan Prum’s old age and increasing frailty ushered in a new reality when she became a hospice patient.

“I thought that unless you were really sick and bedridden, you wouldn’t be a candidate for hospice, but that turns out not to be true,” Prum said.

Care teams provide comfort to hospice patients who are not expected to live longer than six months. As with all palliative care, trained professionals provide medications and treatments to reduce pain and increase quality of life. But with hospice, attempts to cure a person’s illness are halted.

Connecticut Hospice, which oversees Prum’s care, became the nation’s first hospice 50 years ago. It’s difficult to predict how long someone has to live, but CEO Barbara Pearce says the decision to go to hospice is made by the patient and their families.

Routine hospice services average about $200 per day and are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Association, only about half of Medicare patients use it.

“Hospice care involves sitting down from the very beginning and saying, what are your care goals? What do you want your life to look like in the coming months? And how can we help you?” said Pearce.

Hospice care can be provided in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and places like Connecticut Hospice, but about 99% choose to receive services at home, as did Prum and former President Jimmy Carter.

Carter, who will be 100 years old it is on Tuesday, October 1 oldest former president in American history, and received home care in a hospice during the past 19 months.

“We all support Jimmy Carter. He has done more for us than we could ever do for ourselves by pointing out that it is a reasonable choice to make. He has given everyone permission to consider that as a reasonable option that does not shorten their lives. lives, but increases their comfort and fulfillment,” said Pearce.

Prum still cooks and can manage her Connecticut apartment largely on her own, but she relies on hospice staff and other visitors to keep her safe and engaged.

Prum says she hopes to stay longer to spend time with her eight grandchildren. With the help of home hospice, she enjoys every precious moment.