Diana Cazier Shares: Personal Hospice Experiences Part 1

​I can think of few things more devastating than dealing with the imminent death of a loved one.  During this stressful time, who can we turn to to answer our questions and to relieve some of our burden?  Research has found that Americans want to have a say in how we approach death, if given the opportunity.  We want a certain amount of say in a time where everything feels as if it is not in our control.   While Hospice cannot make all of the problems go away, it can be that support and that shoulder to lean on when it is needed.
​Over the last year I have had the chance to visit with many different people and discuss with them their experiences with Hospice.  Over the next couple of weeks I would like to share a few of these experiences.
​One young woman was a teenager and the oldest of her siblings when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  This was a devastating time for her family.  She remembers well the Hospice workers that were there for them.  The nurses and aids helped them to understand what was happening to their mother and how best to help her.  They were also there just to talk.  One of her strongest memories was working on a Christmas tree for Festival of Trees.  They used as a theme their mother’s favorite things and were able to visit with her to get ideas.  While this was an incredibly difficult time she treasures the memories of the time spent doing this for and with her mother and siblings.
​If you ever find yourself in need of Hospice services don’t feel that you have to go it alone.   Hospice is run on a unique philosophy that is based on the care of the dying patient, not the cure.  Curative measures are bypassed.  The goal of Hospice is the comfort and well-being of the patient (palliative care) and support for the family.  Hospice provides a special kind of care for the dying;
1. It treats the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient.
2. It takes place in a homelike setting—most often within the home itself.
3. One major goal is to make the patient as free of pain as possible, helping them to make the most of the time left to them.
4. An essential part of the care is support for the patient's significant others.
5. Believes that the quality of life is just as important as the length of life.
​Remember, “…turning to Hospice is not giving up on care but sometimes getting the best care possible”  Dr. Abe Tomco.