Guaranteed Hospice

Dr. Elisabeth Kluber-Ross (July 8, 1926 – August 24, 2004) was a psychiatrist and pioneer for death and dying studies. She’s the author of more than 20 books translated across 41 languages, her most famous being On Death and Dying (1969) where she first proposed the stages of grief. These stages — denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance — establish a framework that helps us identify and work through our emotions when dealing with a loss. In addition to her groundbreaking psychology work, she is also credited with helping start over 50 hospices, including the world’s first prison-hospice in 1985. Today we celebrate her efforts to better understand and treat those nearing end of life.

Today we recognize the revolution that Dame Cecily Saunders (June 22, 1918 - July 14th, 2005) started in how we treat the dying. See the timeline of her notable accomplishments.

Did you know? More than 85% of nurses and home health aides are women.

As we wrap up Black History Month and celebrate the start of Women’s History Month, we take the time to recognize Guaranteed’s founder and CEO, Jessica McGlory. Jessica started Guaranteed to make the difficult moments easier by providing the best care experience possible—one she didn’t get to have with her dad.

Pictured above: Jessica visiting the nursing home of one of Guaranteed’s hospice patients. She is spending time with the lovely caregiver.

In some Black households, there is a cultural expectation to become a caregiver to elderly family members. A survey released in 2021 by the Diverse Elders Coalitions’ Caregiving Initiative found that approximately 30 percent of Black caregivers report feeling more isolation and physical and mental strain as a result of caregiving responsibilities. Guaranteed creates family care plans for those tasked with caring for their loved ones in hospice to help alleviate the mental and emotional stress involved with caregiving.

https://generations.asaging.org/care-blackness-and-generational-values

Join us for an evening of lively conversation and reflection on the black end-of-life experience with our esteemed panelists Evans Rochaste, NP, Heaven Berhane, Rev. Dr. Manual A. Howard and Guaranteed’s very own Breiana McGlory. This virtual panel will be moderated by Cachet Colvard, MHSA, MBA on Tuesday, February 28th from 6PM - 7PM EST. Link to register for free: http://bit.ly/40YovBh

2020 Medicare data indicates that 50.8% of White Medicare beneficiaries that passed utilized hospice compared to 35.5% of Black beneficiaries. There was also a 5.3 percentage point decrease in utilization from 2019 to 2020 in the black population compared to a 3 percentage point decline in utilization in the White population. COVID is a factor as deaths outpaced enrollment across all races, affecting the Hispanic population the most.

https://www.nhpco.org/hospice-care-overview/hospice-facts-figures/

This month we are highlighting Black experiences with hospice care starting with B. Alexander who bravely shared her story with us. As a caregiver for her best friend of over 30 years she was faced with a serious lack of communication leading to anxiety, confusion, and a gross amount of miscommunication during her stay. Alexander tells us, “I didn’t know what hospice was before she went into it, they told me they would care for her and feed her and wouldn’t neglect if she got better or if she passed but they neglected her.”.

A lack of communication is a common frustration with hospice care, 59% of hospices surveyed between 2012 and 2016 had deficiencies related to care planning. These care plans should be clear, scheduled, individualized, and shared with the family caregivers to ensure the patient's needs and pain are managed.
Many hospices failed to follow the care plans they created by missing appointments or skipping assessments during visits. Guaranteed’s patients experience in person visits multiple times per week and we educate our family caregivers at every visit to ensure clear communication of care expectations. No family should be left wondering when their next nursing visit will be.

Source: https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-17-00020.pdf?utm_source=summary-page&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=OEI-02-17-00020-PDF

There is one more day to enter to win a date night for caregivers and their partners! Know someone that could qualify to win? Tag them in the comments, or apply here:

Caregiver Date Night Sweepstakes Entry Form This is the entry form for Guaranteed's Caregiver Date Night Sweepstakes. Enter for a chance to win a fully sponsored date for one caregiver and their loved one, worth up to $250. No purchase required for entry. Entry period start of day01/27/23 through 02/10/23 at 5PM EST. Family caregivers who are...

Researchers found that whites in rural areas received the most opioids near the end of life, whereas Black patients in cities received the least. Black patients also tended to receive lower doses, representing a meaningful difference in pain control.

As with access to opioids, investigators found racial disparities in urine drug screening, with Black patients significantly more likely to undergo such screening, and with Black men experiencing the greatest inequities.

The data shows clearly how underlying systemic racism directly affects the probability that a black patient will experience the same pain-free and dignified end-of-life care they deserve. is a real issue that Guaranteed is addressing as the population of seniors of color is projected to increase dramatically over the next 10 years.

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/01/study-finds-startling-inequities-in-end-of-life-opioid-treatment/

According to a study released in 2020, Black seniors are more likely than White seniors to have multiple emergency department visits and undergo intense treatment in the last six months of their life. In general, Black seniors receive more aggressive care, have higher end-of-life healthcare spending, and are less likely to use hospice services than White seniors. These disparities are caused by several factors including mistrust of the medical system, a preference towards aggressive treatment, lack of in-home resources, and miscommunication or lack of understanding of medical terms, treatment options, and the realities of health trajectories.

Guaranteed is committed to expanding access to hospice care to Black Americans through education, transparency, and cultural competency. More Black seniors should have access to the care they want.

Love is in the air! This Valentines Day, Guaranteed is sponsoring dates for 10 caregivers and the partners that they care for. We believe romance and intimacy can still be cultivated even while navigating a terminal illness or old age. Know someone that could qualify to win? Tag them in the comments, or apply here: http://bit.ly/3GEarDU

Enter for a chance to win a date night worth up to $250. Entry period begins at 12:01 am ET on January 30, 2023 and ends at 5:00 pm ET on February 10, 2023. Family caregivers who are US residents over age 21 only. Full rules here: https://bit.ly/3jiqvDr

Come alone, or come with your partner! Guaranteed is excited to host a free virtual workshop with Vanessa Carlisle, PhD on how to foster and re-initiate intimacy and connection for those experiencing a terminal illness or the natural effects of aging.

More details and registration link in bio!

Fostering End-Of-Life Intimacy: A Virtual Couples Workshop | 02.09.2023 Come alone, or come with your partner! Learn how to foster and re-initiate intimacy and connection for those experiencing a terminal illness or the n… | 02.09.2023

Caregiving through the holidays can be a particularly tough time. Join Guaranteed's Lead Social Worker Jane Bonner Reitmeyer and Grief Expert Kristen Baker as we hold (virtual) space for new and experienced caregivers or anyone that wants to learn more about the role. Link in bio to register!

Spend your last days living, not dying. Our in-home hospice services allow patients and their families to focus on the what matters the most.

The dinner table is a great time to talk through how we want to live and die. As we go into the holiday weekend, think about the meaningful conversations you might want to have with those closest to you.
Read our conversation starters here: bit.ly/guaranteedhospice

Swipe to read 5 caregiving tips for the upcoming holidays 👉

Guaranteed is hiring across a variety of different roles at our HQ and hospice locations. Join us!

Don’t see a role that fits your background? Shoot your resume to [email protected]

5 caregiving tips to get you through the holidays. Swipe to read on 👉

We are thrilled to announce Guaranteed’s 6.5MM seed round and official coming out of stealth. With 9.25MM in funding to date, we are ready to change the way people die starting with a better care experience for everyone.

For anyone looking for support in coping with the loss of someone you had a less than loving or complicated relationship with we are hosting an event that tackles that topic with a Q&A session. Link in bio to register for this FREE event.

Let’s call a thing a thing. It could look like crying, detachment, loss of appetite, and general sadness. But, it can also look like brain fog, headaches, body pain, anxiety, and impulsive behavior. There is no set time limit and it may come in waves.

Wherever you are in your journey to healing Guaranteed is here.