Specialty Care: What is a Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturist?

Dr. Theroux-Jette recently earned the distinction of becoming the first and only licensed acupuncturist in the state of New Hampshire to obtain specialty certification as a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturist, offered through the National Association for Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturists (NAHPCA).

As a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturist, Dr. Theroux-Jette offers a specialized protocol when treating people at the end of life. Acupuncture is customized to address the stages of grief and to promote the patient’s emotional well-being, which facilitate a more peaceful death. This standard of care is promoted through education of, and communication with, hospice and palliative care providers and organizations, and their patients, families, and circles of support.

Members of the National Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturists are dedicated, compassionate health care professionals who have completed additional specialty training to become a Certified Provider of Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncture. These licensed acupuncturists support the ideals of Dr. Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement. Her vision was that everyone should be able to die in a safe, peaceful and pain-free environment.

The NAHPCA is an organization dedicated to enriching the quality of end-of-life of patients with the use of acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM), also called Asian medicine or traditional Chinese medicine. This is an empirical system of medicine which includes Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage (Tui Na), exercise (Qi Gong), and dietary therapy.

Research has demonstrated that combining acupuncture and Oriental medicine with hospice and/or palliative care modalities leads to significant improvement of patient comfort levels. Safe and effective treatments may be used with all types of terminal illnesses, and to ease the wide variety of emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual distress patterns associated with death and dying. In addition, acupuncture can be helpful for family or loved ones who are suffering with loss and grief.

Source: http://www.nahpca.com/

About the Author: Dr. L. Cindy Theroux-Jette, PhD, OT/L, LAc, CFMP

L. Cindy Theroux-Jette, PhD, OT/L, LAc, CHPCA is a functional medicine specialist, and a dually Board certified and licensed clinician with 30+ years of practice. She employs a functional integrative approach to identify and address the underlying root cause of disorders while treating adult and pediatric patients. She is a nationally Board-Certified and licensed Occupational Therapist (OT/L), and a nationally Board-Certified licensed Acupuncturist and herbalist (LAc). She is licensed to practice in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, became Board Certified in Occupational Therapy in 1992 by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), and was Board Certified in 2002 by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Her formal education includes a Doctoral degree in Health Psychology (PhD), a Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAOM), a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy (BSOT), and two specialty certifications: Certified Functional Medicine Provider (CFMP), and Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturist (CHPCA). Dr. Theroux-Jette holds the distinction of being the first and only Certified Functional Medicine Provider in Greater Nashua. She empowers her patients to take an active role in addressing modifiable problem areas and expects an active investment in self-care and treatment for best results in restoring function, maintaining health, and achieving healthy longevity. Dr. Theroux-Jette also holds the distinction of being the first and only NH licensed acupuncturist to have earned the Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturist (CHPCA) specialty certification from the National Association for Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturists, and she is honored to be able to provide end-of-life comfort and palliative care. The comprehensive nature of her conventional medical training and holistic medical training serves to “fill the gap” and augment the care of conventional medical providers who may not have time or training to offer individualized care while working within the constraints of insurance driven conventional healthcare systems. She welcomes collaboration with all providers on the patient care team, as open communication facilitates better outcomes and is in the best interest of her patients. Virtual care via telemedicine visits allow Dr. Theroux-Jette to offer functional medicine services to patients from all over the United States. Her practice focus includes treatment of chronic health conditions, preventive medicine, restorative medicine, healthy aging, and immunological, gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. Complex conditions, pain, and psychological stress are the most common referrals and complaints she sees in her practice. Dr. Theroux-Jette was initially appointed to serve on the New Hampshire Board of Acupuncture Licensing in 2012 by Governor Lynch, was reappointed several times, and served as Chair of the Board for ten years. She is President Emeritus (2005-2012) of the state level professional association of licensed acupuncturists, the New Hampshire Acupuncture and Asian Medicine Association. Dr. Theroux-Jette honorably served her country in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1989 – 1997 at Naval Air Station South Weymouth, Massachusetts. Presently, she enjoys giving back to the local and global community as a member of the Rotary Club of Nashua and volunteering with Home Health & Hospice Care Wellspring Chorus. She follows a Pesco-Mediterranean diet, and in her free time enjoys nature, photography, and outdoor activities with her spouse, Ernie Jette.

Specialty Care: What is a Hospice and Palliative Care Acupuncturist?