Spring is the season of new beginnings. While it sometimes seems that it is impossible for us to recover from certain losses in our life, especially the loss of a loved one, the cycle of rebirth that accompanies each Spring is an encouraging reminder that, even as we will always cherish and treasure the memories of those we love, we are usually more resilient than we often think.

In nature, when destruction appears to result from an avalanche, hurricane, tornado, volcanic eruption, or something similar, life eventually returns. Beginning with microscopic organisms, then tiny plants, then small bugs, then additional vegetation, infant trees, and wildlife – something new, and beautiful, grows during the loss.

Things will never be exactly as they were before. They indeed will be different. But, like nature, we human beings have a remarkable resilience that allows us to return to the “new normal” after our own personal tragedies.

Accept and understand that, after the initial shock, the “dazed” period will last longer than you might think. The human body, while amazing in its capacity, can only take so much at once. Many grieving people describe their shock as “just going through the motions,” or “sleepwalking.” Do not be dismayed. Rest assured that this is normal.

Know that we continue to pray for and think about you, and all of your loved ones. We hope you will find this to be encouraging and helpful to you. If you would like to speak to someone personally, please do not hesitate to contact our Bereavement Coordinator, Thomas Schwartz. He can be reached at 918-994-4807. God bless and keep you!

When a patient is in hospice care, their symptoms don’t adhere to an 8 to 5 schedule. Some patients will qualify for 24/7 care, but for those who don’t, an emergency kit is used to treat symptoms that might flare up after hours. These kits will typically contain medication and other treatment methods that will prevent symptoms from happening and quickly treat symptoms when they do happen.

The exact contents of a kit will depend on the unique needs of each patient, but the common symptoms that are covered in most hospice emergency kits are:

Pain- It’s very common for hospice patients to experience severe pain in some form or another. To treat pain that occurs when a doctor is not available to write a prescription, kits might contain some form of morphine.

Anxiety- Going through end of life treatment can understandably cause some stress and anxiety. To ease these symptoms, medication such as Valium can be packed in an emergency kit.

Secretions- Some conditions will cause patients to have uncontrolled secretions (like drooling), which can cause saliva to pool in the back of the patient’s throat. Several medications, as well as extra gauze, can be in a kit to treat these symptoms.

Vomiting- Symptoms of vomiting, or even just constant nausea, can make patients incredibly uncomfortable. Thankfully there are many medications to treat vomiting and nausea that can be included in a hospice emergency kit.

These kits are a lot like car insurance – you hope you never have to use it, but it gives you peace of mind just knowing you have it. The name and contents of a hospice emergency kit will be different from hospice to hospice, but each kit is designed to be a safety net patients can use when their medical director is unavailable.

Knowing when it’s time to enroll a loved one in hospice care can seem like a complicated decision. Due to stigmas and misconceptions, people can be hesitant to place their loved one in hospice care. However, almost any experienced caregiver will recommend enrolling in hospice as soon as possible.

The best way to know it’s time to call a hospice company is when the attending physician gives a diagnosis of six months to live. Although this is never good news to get, it will qualify your loved one for hospice care. This means their medical care will be completely paid for by Medicare and they can receive 24/7 care in some cases.

Some might still be hesitant to enroll after getting the 6 months diagnosis, because they feel like they’re giving up on their loved one, but this isn’t true. Hospice doesn’t mean giving up and hospice isn’t hopeless. It’s one of the best levels of medical care a patient can have. Hospice employees are trained to meet the unique needs of a patient in the end of life stages.

Issues like pain management, wound care, and bereavement, can all greatly improve the quality of life for the patient and their family. The goal of hospice care is to make the patient as comfortable as possible. One way we accomplish this is by treating the patient in their own home. Getting treatment in a hospital or other healthcare facilities can be intimidating and incredibly inconvenient. By allowing the patient to remain in their own home, it removes the stress and strain of traveling to and from treatment facilities.

This higher caliber of care and increased level of patient comfort are two great reasons to call a hospice as soon as your loved one qualifies. If you’re questioning whether they meet the qualifications for hospice care, call one of our transition coordinators and they will be more than happy to assist you. 

Medical advances have increased the life expectancy for many Americans, which is a wonderful thing. However, this does create a problem for many families about what to do with their aging parents. As the eldest generation of the family advances in years, their health will deteriorate, and they will eventually require assistance with day-to-day tasks. When this moment hits, families are often left questioning whether it’s time to find a care facility, hire a home health aide, or assume the role a family caregiver.

When you’re questioning if you should become the primary caregiver for your parent, here are a few things to consider.

Their Medical Condition  

The first question you should ask yourself is, “how bad is their medical condition?” This will let you know if being there caregiver is even an option. Often, even though adult children are willing to assume this role, their parent’s condition requires a level of medical care they cannot provide themselves. Think about their symptoms, medication, treatment, and cognitive condition, and make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.

Their Living Situation  

If you decide to become the caregiver, will that require your parent to move in with you? It’s very common for a parent to move in with their kids when the parent’s health begins to fade. Think about what that will logistically look like. Do you have an extra room for them, or will you need to add some square footage to the house?

Physical Requirements

Being a caregiver will involve a variety of physically demanding tasks, and you need to be prepared for the toll that it will take on your body. Help in and out of chairs, bathing, dressing, feeding, and bathroom trips are all in the job description of a caregiver.

Emotional Toll

Seeing your parent in an ailing state every day can be hard for a lot of people. Caregiving is also incredibly time consuming, which can often cause a great deal of stress. Combined, these two factors make for a very emotionally trying job.

There’s no doubt about it, caregiving is an incredibly difficult job, but, for many, it’s all worth it. Before you decide to be the primary caregiver for your parent, just make sure it’s the right decision for your parent and for you.

As we’ve discussed before, hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team consisting of a medical director, nurses, aides, volunteers, chaplains, and social workers. Today we’ll be taking a closer look at the role of the social worker. Most people either have no idea what a hospice social worker does, or they have negative connotations associated with the term.

The truth is, a good social worker will be your best friend when your loved one is in hospice care. Social workers are intended to be your main point of contact for anything you need during this time. As most people have never experienced hospice care, having someone who can educate you about the mechanics of the hospice benefit, assist in creating advanced health care directives, make funeral arrangements, and provide emotional support will be incredibly helpful.

If there’s ever a question the social worker can’t answer, they’ll be able to get you in touch with someone who can answer your questions. One of the biggest roles the social worker will play is filling in any gaps you or your family needs. If you ever have any problems and don’t know where to go or who to ask, the social worker is a great place to start.

At Cura-HPC, our social workers are dedicated to helping our patients and their families in whatever way they can. They are a vital part of our team and we greatly appreciate the work they do. If you have any questions about social workers, the hospice team, or just about hospice in general, please don’t hesitate to call one of our transition specialists.