ASERACARE HOSPICE, ALTOONA, PA

DNR: V.2 FINAL

05-06-16 TRT: 00:01:32

E. WALKER, SCRIPTWRITER

VISUALS / AUDIO
Anchor Intro / As the average lifespan in the United States increases, so has the number of people requiring hospice care. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, in 2010 approximately 1.3 million people received hospice services. By 2014 that number increased to almost 1.7 million - with more than half being women. But not all hospice patients are elderly. Wendy Faust, a mother of two teenagers and former hospice nurse, will most likely soon become a hospice patient, receiving care from the same team she has worked with for more than ten years.
NAT SOUND – Caregiver
02:45:17
“Hey, Pauline, how ya feeling today.”
VOICEOVER
According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 1.7 million people receive services from hospice each year in the U.S.
NAT SOUND – Caregiver
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VOICEOVER
Though the majority of hospice patients are 65 years and older, over 15% are between the ages of 35 and 64.
VOICEOVER
Wendy Faust, a hospice nurse for more than ten years, will most likely fall into that category. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of two, the disease is rapidly taking a toll on her body.
Wendy Faust
Cystic Fibrosis Patient
Former AseraCare Hospice Nurse / Wendy Faust
01:20:50 – 01:21:05
“It’s funny. When I became a hospice nurse I related to these patients because I’m dying too.
VOICEOVER
When hospice care in the U.S. was established in the 1970s, cancer patients made up the largest percentage of hospice admissions. Today, over63% of admissions are for non-cancer diagnoses.
StephenieNebelski
Executive Director
AseraCare, Altoona, PA / StephenieNebelski
02:30:00 – 02:30:11
“It’s not always about medication; it’s about understanding your patient and knowing what’s going on with them. Sometimes it is something that’s more emotional or spiritual that you need to deal with.”
VOICEOVER
Though she can no longer care for others, Wendy’s love for the career she always wanted is still present.
Wendy Faust
01:36:55 – 01:37:17
“We go in, we’re the caregiver. We do that part and the family gets to be the family, the daughter gets to be the daughter and not the caregiver.
Laurie Dean
Director, Clinical Services
AseraCare, Altoona, PA / Laurie Dean
02:13:40 – 02:13:48
“As much as we never want to share hospice with Wendy as a patient we know that that day is coming.”
Wendy
01:29:37 – 01:29:58
“I know that when I’m ready and I’ve had enough and it’s time to say I quit, that AseraCare going to take care of me and they’re going to take care of me the way that I took care of everybody else.