Palliative Care at Christmas Time: The Greatest Gift

For some, palliative care could be the greatest gift during the holiday season.

Most people are familiar with the 1946 classic Christmas movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ which is a wonderful movie that has won acclaim, Oscars, and hearts. For 51 years the film has dramatized the story of a man who during the Christmas season goes from giving up on his life to learning that his life is a gift.

The movie opens with the protagonist, George Bailey – considered by many to be Jimmy Stewarts’s most memorable role – contemplating suicide because he despairs that his life is forlorn. He considers his life to be worthless and not worth living. As the plot unfolds, George’s guardian angel, Clarence, miraculously intervenes and helps George to grasp that there is hope in his life – lots of hope. Providing hope in a hopeless situation is to give the greatest gift and is not only the goal of cinematic guardian angels but also of real life Palliative Care providers.

The Christmas season is a time when the world is brighter with festive lights and burning candles; it is louder with songs about ‘Peace on Earth’ and ‘Joy to the World’. However, for those overcome by their disease and facing ongoing anguish and pending death, their world is not bright, peaceful or joyful.

Needless suffering is coal that gets stuffed into a patient’s and their loved one’s lives during the holiday season. Unrelieved pain, loss of control, and a fearful future breed desperation in their lives very much like the despair that infested George Bailey.  Hope was rekindled in George’s heart by heavenly intervention but for those suffering at Christmas, hope can be restored by earthly help – Palliative Care.

Palliative Care provides a remedy for desperate situations not with celestial beings like Clarence but with armies of healthcare providers who transform hopelessness into hopefulness not only by comforting pain but also by clarifying expectations – by telling the truth and giving the facts of patient’s perilous situation. The knowledge of facts can be saddening but the suspicion of unspoken facts is terrifying. Palliative Care can assuage this terror by assuring patients and their families that whatever unwelcomed Yuletide ailing gifts their malady may present them with, they will be there when they are opened.

Paradoxically, Christmas while the happiest time of the year for most can be saddest season for some. Even among the healthy, depressed moods and suicidal thoughts increase during the holiday celebrations. So while relief of the suffering of the sick is essential in all seasons, it is a crucial exigency to lighten heavy hearts and raise the low spirits of those facing their last Christmas morning.

In the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of Luke, an angel announces to the shepherds, “Peace on earth, good will to men.” Peace for the sick is knowing their pain will be soothed and good will is the will to eliminate unnecessary suffering not only on Christmas Day but on every day.

And while Tiny Tim wrote no gospels, he did speak the final joyful words in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – “A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, everyone.”

Christmastime Palliative Care enables the afflicted to be as merry as possible and blesses them with the greatest gift – the gift of Hope. 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Related Stories

Leave a Reply

Please log in to your account to comment on this article.

Featured Webcasts

Leveraging the CERT: A New Coding and Billing Risk Assessment Plan

Leveraging the CERT: A New Coding and Billing Risk Assessment Plan

Frank Cohen shows you how to leverage the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing Program (CERT) to create your own internal coding and billing risk assessment plan, including granular identification of risk areas and prioritizing audit tasks and functions resulting in decreased claim submission errors, reduced risk of audit-related damages, and a smoother, more efficient reimbursement process from Medicare.

April 9, 2024
2024 Observation Services Billing: How to Get It Right

2024 Observation Services Billing: How to Get It Right

Dr. Ronald Hirsch presents an essential “A to Z” review of Observation, including proper use for Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and commercial payers. He addresses the correct use of Observation in medical patients and surgical patients, and how to deal with the billing of unnecessary Observation services, professional fee billing, and more.

March 21, 2024
Top-10 Compliance Risk Areas for Hospitals & Physicians in 2024: Get Ahead of Federal Audit Targets

Top-10 Compliance Risk Areas for Hospitals & Physicians in 2024: Get Ahead of Federal Audit Targets

Explore the top-10 federal audit targets for 2024 in our webcast, “Top-10 Compliance Risk Areas for Hospitals & Physicians in 2024: Get Ahead of Federal Audit Targets,” featuring Certified Compliance Officer Michael G. Calahan, PA, MBA. Gain insights and best practices to proactively address risks, enhance compliance, and ensure financial well-being for your healthcare facility or practice. Join us for a comprehensive guide to successfully navigating the federal audit landscape.

February 22, 2024
Mastering Healthcare Refunds: Navigating Compliance with Confidence

Mastering Healthcare Refunds: Navigating Compliance with Confidence

Join healthcare attorney David Glaser, as he debunks refund myths, clarifies compliance essentials, and empowers healthcare professionals to safeguard facility finances. Uncover the secrets behind when to refund and why it matters. Don’t miss this crucial insight into strategic refund management.

February 29, 2024
2024 SDoH Update: Navigating Coding and Screening Assessment

2024 SDoH Update: Navigating Coding and Screening Assessment

Happy World Health Day! Our exclusive webcast is just $99 for a limited time! Use code WorldHealth24 at checkout before April 12th to claim this discount.

Dive deep into the world of Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) coding with our comprehensive webcast. Explore the latest OPPS codes for 2024, understand SDoH assessments, and discover effective strategies for integrating coding seamlessly into healthcare practices. Gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to navigate the complexities of SDoH coding confidently. Join us to unlock the potential of coding in promoting holistic patient care.

May 22, 2024
2024 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic Update Webcast Series

2024 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic Update Webcast Series

HIM coding expert, Kay Piper, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, reviews the guidance and updates coders and CDIs on important information in each of the AHA’s 2024 ICD-10-CM/PCS Quarterly Coding Clinics in easy-to-access on-demand webcasts, available shortly after each official publication.

April 15, 2024

Trending News

Happy National Doctor’s Day! Learn how to get a complimentary webcast on ‘Decoding Social Admissions’ as a token of our heartfelt appreciation! Click here to learn more →

Happy World Health Day! Our exclusive webcast, ‘2024 SDoH Update: Navigating Coding and Screening Assessment,’  is just $99 for a limited time! Use code WorldHealth24 at checkout.

SPRING INTO SAVINGS! Get 21% OFF during our exclusive two-day sale starting 3/21/2024. Use SPRING24 at checkout to claim this offer. Click here to learn more →