I replied to Owen separately about my experiences, but I'd like to
reiterate for all what Rich and Pamela said. Don't wait until the
stress is upon you, because you can't really hide that stress. You can
never prepare yourself completely, but you can do the research about
alternatives sooner rather than later. Everybody benefits. Really.
Actually thinking about it is less stressful than thinking about
thinking about it.
Carl
On 6/16/11 9:42 PM, Pamela McCorduck wrote:
I'd like to underscore what Rich says. My family has had a long (more
than thirty years) involvement in the hospice movement (in the SF Bay
Area, not here) and usually the biggest problem for a family is that
they fail to call on hospice soon enough. There's a feeling that this
is somehow "giving up." But the fact is, everybody benefits, both the
family and the patient--and the sooner the better, for all the reasons
Rich says.
Pamela
On Jun 16, 2011, at 9:02 PM, Rich Murray wrote:
Until I retired in 2006, I worked full time and more for two decades
as a home hospice care giver in Santa Fe for all the agencies, in
hospitals, and every kind of private home and rental unit.
Any well established agency provides excellent helpers, as well as
visits by RNs, respiratory techs, pastors, counselors,
nutritionists...
It reduces the load on family members, who can be otherwise drawn in
past their limits of energy, worry needlessly, or not be informed
about myriad practical details.
Good givers have an trusting, accepting, allowing, receptive, patient,
supportive, flexible, open minded, respectful, practical attitude.
Home care is usually far preferable to hospital or nursing home care,
if practical.
Family members may benefit deeply on many levels by sharing the life
experience of a loved one at home with hospice care.
Rather complete pain control with modern drug delivery is available.
There's no perfect or right way to live this phase of life experience
-- it's as individual and unique as any other aspect of living.
In mutual service, Rich Murray 505-819-7388
On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 7:09 PM, Owen Densmore <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
We are considering hospice care for a family member here in Santa Fe.
Has anyone experience with this? What are the problems? Upsides?
Downsides? Pros/Cons?
Thanks
-- Owen
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============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
