Blog: Hospice & Palliative Care Insights - July 2014
When Hospice Care Ends, Jeanne Morrison Begins
Family members with a loved one on hospice will eventually have to deal with the grief that accompanies the end of such care. While hospice programs like Crossroads offer support services throughout a patient's’ battle with terminal illness, some of the most important support work does not come until that battle is over. After a patient’s life comes to an end, they leave behind loved ones who care about them and cherish their memory, who struggle with profound feelings of loss. At Crossroads, this is when some of the most critical services offered begin to take effect. This is when Jeanne Morrison offers her support.
Patient’s Gift of a Day Lifts Off Over Hometown
Tyrone Wright has spent his life in Kansas City. He grew up there, becoming familiar with each historic institution and new high rise as the city evolved. But there was always one perspective of his hometown he was never able to see.
Nursing Students Find a New Side to Their Patients Through Life Journals
When a loved one has died, old photos and stories from their life keep their spirit with us. Too often, however, we are caught up in day-to-day living and don’t spend much time thinking about the lives our parents and grandparents lived before we came into the picture.
End-of-Life Eating Habits: Why It’s OK for Your Loved One to Stop Eating and Drinking on Hospice
We associate food with comfort. Babies bond with their mothers while nursing or being fed a bottle. We give our loved one chicken soup when they are in bed with a cold. Food is so important to our cultural celebrations and holidays. A colorfully decorated cake and ice cream on birthdays. Turkey and all the trimmings on Thanksgiving. Spiral ham, pecan pies and sugar cookies at Christmas. Sufganiyah and livivot on Hanukah. BBQ burgers, dogs and ice cold watermelon on the 4th of July. It goes on and on. For generations, this is how we have shown our family and friends that we care about them.
Bereavement Counseling: 13 Months Toward Creating the New Normal
“There are so many variables to experiencing loss. Consider, if everyone has a unique thumb print, everyone has a unique heart print.”
These are the words of wisdom from someone who has seen a lot of loss and grieving, and who has given out a lot of hope: Vickie Mears, Director of Grief Support Services at Crossroads Hospice in Kansas City, MO.