On National Doctors' Day, Niagara Hospice is proud to recognize medical director, Dr. Richard Castaldo, and our team of physicians - Dr. Jay Newman, Dr. Bharat Kohli and Dr. Todd Orszulak -- for their dedicated care of Niagara County hospice patients and their families and caregivers.

Dr. Richard Castaldo:

Have you seen community awareness about the benefits of hospice care increase over the last year?

   We always seek to raise the awareness with doctors and families that they can call us earlier so we can care for patients longer. Anyone can make a referral to hospice. People don’t have to worry about the criteria, we will take care of evaluating the patient’s eligibility. Even if someone is not ready for hospice care, we will follow up with the family to track their condition.

   With the projected growth of dementia diagnoses expected to double in the next 20 years, it is important to assess other underlying conditions or diseases that can compound a person’s declining health, all of which can lead to hospice eligibility sooner.

   We specialize in late-stage illness care and provide the comfort and dignity to help improve a patient’s quality of life. Our other focus is decreasing the burden on families and caregivers and reducing the stress that occurs when going to the hospital. We want to provide the support and guidance to every patient’s loved ones so there is no regret.

How does the Niagara Hospice House general in-patient unit help manage symptoms and contribute to comfort?

   We want Niagara County families to realize that symptoms of disease can be managed by our clinical staff at the Niagara Hospice House general in-patient (GIP) unit. The sooner the symptoms can be stabilized, the better it is for the patient’s comfort when they are discharged home. With this symptom stabilization period of up to five days in our GIP unit, we can evaluate the patient while avoiding a trip to the emergency room.

What is a key message for Niagara County families who are considering hospice care for a loved one?

   I encourage any family member or caregiver to please call us as soon as possible at 716-439-4417 or 716-HOSPICE. You can also fill out a short referral form at NiagaraHospice.org. Our clinical staff can have the conversations with patients and loved ones, and then a nurse will visit for an initial assessment. We will do the work for you in determining eligibility.