Patients are eligible to begin hospice care when they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness follows its typical trajectory. At Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care, we take pride in supporting patients and families through their final months, weeks, and days, but it’s our Evenmore Care program in the patient’s final hours that we are most proud of.
Caring for a loved one who is aging or living with a serious illness can be both challenging and deeply fulfilling. As a caregiver, you already know your loved one may not tell you about new symptoms or may hide how they’re really feeling, leaving it up to you to recognize a change in their health or a need for additional care.
No one wants to think about a life coming to an end. So too often, we do our best to deny it. We focus on the positive, explain even serious symptoms away, and put off talking about the next steps in care for our loved one.
Hospice aides are an essential part of the hospice care team. Sometimes called a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) or a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA), they have a unique role providing personal care to their patients.
When we think about healthcare choices at end of life, we may already have definite ideas of what our wishes are. The bigger challenge occurs when we are asked to make end-of-life decisions for someone else who can no longer make healthcare decisions for themselves.
The loss of a family member, friend, or another significant person is difficult for people of any age, and it’s natural for children to experience grief when a death occurs. Well-meaning adults often avoid talking about the person who passed away to avoid upsetting the child, but it is important for children to express and process their grief.
