Hope Hospice received the prestigious Circle of Life Award in recognition for its innovative program that improves the care of individuals at the end of life.
The Circle of Life Award honors programs across the United States that have made great strides in palliative and end-of-life care. The awards are supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey and are sponsored by the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Medical Association (AMA), the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.
Last year, Hope Hospice was awarded the Circle of Life Citation of Honor for its strategy to make services available to anyone who needs hospice care, regardless of age, diagnosis, or ability to pay. This year’s award bestows the highest level of recognition for its work, and Hope Hospice is the only Florida honoree.
Under Beckwith’s leadership, Hope Hospice initiated an approach to patient care that they refer to as their Collage of Comfort. “Our Collage of Comfort philosophy encompasses every aspect of the individual’s well-being – body, mind and spirit,” Beckwith said. “At the heart of it is our commitment to make sure the system is working to meet the specific needs and preferences of each individual in our care, not in trying to make a patient fit into a standardized system.”
Beckwith also said, “It’s an honor to be nationally recognized for our work and our ideas, but it is an even greater honor to be able to serve such a wonderful community that supports our efforts.”
AHA President Dick Davidson said, “Hope Hospice has made great strides in end-of-life and palliative care. Their program reflects the importance they place on serving patients and their families. It is in celebration of this innovative, caring spirit that we proudly award them our Circle of Life Award.”
Davidson said that Hope Hospice was chosen by a selection committee made up of leaders from medicine, nursing, social work and health administration. The committee focused on innovative programs that respect patient goals and preferences, provide comprehensive care, acknowledge and address the family or caregivers’ concerns and needs, and build systems and mechanisms of support to continue the program for future patients and caregivers.
