Hospice, So Much More...

My sister sent me this article that was in the Yuma paper. It's an article about Hospice needing volunteers, but it shows what they did for our Dad a few weeks before he passed away. Most of us think of Hospice as the nursing staff that shows up when the patient is near the end of their struggle. Not so. They are so much more than that. Yes, they provide nursing care but oh so much more. RTA Hospice in Yuma, AZ. provided care for both our parents when they were at home and for Mom, even when she was in Assisted Living. They cared for Dad, during that period that he was home alone at 92 years of age. Regularly checking in on him, making sure he was taking his medicine, eating well, cleaning the house and more importantly, letting him know that he was not really alone. The social worker, Debra, and one of the nurses, Amberly, became like family members.
In Dad's last few weeks, he fretted that he was not able to plant the garden that he had kept for more than 30 years. Though, he really didn't need to do this because he gave most of the vegetables away. It was his routine and he felt compelled to do it. When an Alzheimer's patient gets something in their mind, there is no getting it out. My sister couldn't do it and care for him so Hospice gathered up their volunteers and planted Dad's garden. This picture shows Dad sitting on the patio and the volunteers gathered around him when the garden was finished. As it states, below the picture, he passed away three weeks later.
There are not enough words to express how my sister and I feel about these people. They were always caring, compassionate, professional, concerned, and yes even loving. They were and will remain extended family members.


The kit is "Summer" by Angelscrapper.