In the past seven months I’ve buried both of my parents. (I won’t even pretend that’s it’s been anything but brutal emotionally.) In the process, I’ve learned a great deal and I’ve come to like many of you on this board, so I wish to pass the most helpful small pieces of information along in the hope it will help someone.
At the urging of our Hospice doctor, my wife and I sat down to view this free You Tube presentation. I WISH I HAD WATCHED THIS VIDEO SOONER! I sincerely hope this message helps someone in a similar circumstance. The information presented is not macabre in the least. It is presented with compassion from a 30+ yr Hospice nurse and it’s comforting to learn the steps most of us will take as the end of life approaches.
Hospice does its finest work three months prior to death! Please don’t wait (as we did) to call them. Another piece of advice: choose your Hospice provider carefully. (Ask around… ask friends, relatives, nursing staff in a nearby facility who they recommend in your area.) It is likely these are the people who will be with YOU and your loved one at their passing. You have a choice and it might become very important that you make a wise one. It’s an exceedingly difficult time, but it can be made so much nicer with a compassionate and competent Hospice team at your side.
Here’s a link to the video I found so helpful (Gone from My Sight):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPx-qpos57g