Hospice care provides dignity, comfort and for many families, significant relief from the high cost of standard medical care. Many families will avoid talking money or financial concerns when it comes to end-of-life care because it feels a little bit off color, possibly a little bit disrespectful of the person dealing with illness. Maybe that is because we so often …
Kindful Notes
Kindful is dedicated to serving the needs of the seriously ill and their families. The work our nurses and aides do every day makes a world of difference to our patients and loved ones. We thought we’d provide a glimpse into some of the most heartwarming correspondence we’ve received recently. Our work is rewarding in itself, but to know that …
Caution Fatigue: How to Identify and Manage it
There’s a term for how you’re feeling these days, that cloudy fog that comes from working from home, staying in, wearing a mask, keeping your distance from others and watching the news, just trying to keep up with changes in your community, updates about school closings or openings, trying to keep it all together. Most of us feel tired, some …
7 Books About Death and Dying
We are all in a state of general overwhelm today, bombarded by statistics about the COVID-19 pandemic, rising infection rates around the country. The information is intended to keep us engaged and informed, but one possibly unintended consequence is the daily and consistent reminder that we are all mere mortals, forced to think about our own mortality. Even those of …
Compassion & Covid19
Imagine pulling up to a COVID-19 testing station, asking for an evaluation of your spouse or child and on discovery of severe symptoms of the virus having your loved one whisked away on a gurney, disappearing into the hospital with their cell phone as your only remaining method of contact. No warning, no discussion and no hugs. It’s a stark …
How Does Hospice Work When The Patient Is In A Nursing Home?
Many families will someday face the difficult task of starting hospice care for a loved one. Usually, that means that a team of hospice caregivers will schedule times to come to your home and that they will begin to help the patient to manage pain, ease any other symptoms of their illness where possible and to help with other end …
Let’s Talk About Mental Health and Hospice
Emotional stability and good mental health are important for all of us. When we add the experience of hospice care, finding a sense of balance, calm and general understanding comes into play as an essential piece for everyone involved – the patient, their family and friends, and healthcare providers. It is important to understand how hospice addresses mental health when …
April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day
National Healthcare Decisions Day is an annual collaborative initiative of national, state and community organizations, committed to awareness and to ensure that all adults with decision-making capacity in the United States have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their future healthcare decisions. NHDD is a series of independent events held across the country, supported by a national media …
Perspective and Peace for Families Dealing with End of Life Care Right Now
Hospice does not stop for a world crisis. In uncertain times, end of life care remains a critical part of medical attention for those nearing the end, maybe even more important in times of crisis than at other times, in terms of both the experience as a patient and as a family member caring for a dying loved one. A …