VIDEO: California Firefighter ‘Living the Best of These Last Months’ on Hospice Care

April 28, 2025 at 09:18 AM EDT

IRVINE, Calif., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- “Hospice is not something that means death right away. It means health and happiness,” said Debbie Forrester, spouse and patient caregiver for former firefighter Jim Forrester of Orange County, California.

In a new video, launched during Patient Experience Week, VITAS^® Healthcare shares the story of a patient with terminal cancer whose life was dramatically impacted by the help of his hospice care team. Within a week of being cared for by the interdisciplinary team at VITAS, Mr. Forrester, who had been depressed and was unable to walk, began enjoying time with his grandchildren and even riding his bike again.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

Mr. Forrester was diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer, a condition that spread to other parts of his body, causing him intense pain and discomfort.

“He was depressed and cried on the couch three or four times a day,” his wife recalled. “Watching him in such excruciating pain was very hard. I thought, there’s got to be a better way.”

When a physician determined Mr. Forrester was hospice eligible, meaning his life expectancy was six months or less, his wife knew he wanted to spend that time at home. The Forresters selected hospice care through VITAS.

“In three days, my husband was up walking. He was eating and sleeping,” Mrs. Forrester recalled. “In a week, he was riding a bike. He was doing amazing things that hadn’t happened in 18 months; that’s how great he felt. Jim became the person we all knew again.”

“The treatment that I’ve received through VITAS is tremendous,” said Mr. Forrester. “I look back now at how I felt three months ago—from having pain, being down with my cancer, to being lifted up now and feeling like I did a long, long time ago. I feel so much better. Every day I wake up is a new day, and I enjoy the day.”

According to his wife, the care VITAS provided significantly improved Mr. Forrester’s quality of life during his last months. She said it remains one of the best decisions they ever made.

“VITAS is committed to providing compassionate, dignified care to every patient throughout their journey with us,” said Sandhya Bhalla, MD, VITAS regional medical director. “Patients and families who choose hospice consistently report greater levels of comfort through effective symptom management and a dedicated support system that addresses their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Mr. Forrester’s experience is a testament to this approach.” Four months after he chose compassionate hospice care, Mr. Forrester passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones.

The Value of Advance Care Planning

When a patient’s disease state has progressed to advanced or enters end stage, especially as daily living activities grow more difficult, hospice care can offer physical, emotional, spiritual and psychosocial support for patients and their loved ones. Research shows that earlier referrals and greater utilization of hospice during the last six months of life is associated with increased satisfaction and quality of life—for both patients and their loved ones. Longer stays amount to better outcomes, fewer unwanted and costly hospitalizations and less strain on caregivers.

“I knew what he wanted, we talked about it early on in our marriage,” Mrs. Forrester said about the decision to select hospice. “He got sick, and he wanted to be home.”

Having advance directives in place is critical in providing guidance to medical teams regarding one’s end-of-life wishes. It empowers the patient and removes the decision-making burden from families. Having this conversation early on ensured that the care Mr. Forrester received aligned with his goals, values and beliefs, even if he became unable to make decisions himself.

As the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, VITAS hospice teams are committed to providing goal-focused care with plans that align with a patient’s wishes and values, including pain and symptom management, to maintain their quality of life. For patients like Mr. Forrester, that can mean a world of difference.

Patient Experience Week, observed this year from April 28 to May 2, is an annual celebration that honors the healthcare professionals who impact patients’ lives through empathy, connection and high-quality care. VITAS celebrates this week by recognizing how each team member plays a vital role in shaping meaningful end-of-life experiences for patients and their families.

About VITAS^® Healthcare
Established in 1978, VITAS Healthcare is a pioneer and leader in the American hospice movement. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahs) operates 56 hospice programs in 15 states (Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia. VITAS employs 12,001 professionals who care for patients with advanced illness, primarily in the patients’ homes, and also in the company’s 30 inpatient hospice units as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living communities/residential care facilities for the elderly. At the conclusion of the first quarter of 2025, VITAS reported an average daily census of 22,336. Visit www.vitas.com.

Media inquiries contact: media@vitas.com, 877-848-2701

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VIDEO: California Firefighter ‘Living the Best of These Last Months’ on Hospice Care

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