Picture this.
You work full-time. You are caring for your spouse and children, cooking, cleaning house, taking kids to practice, etc. Now one of your elder family members gets diagnosed with a terminal illness and you step up to provide their care after work and on weekends. What free time do you have to do things that relax you?
Focusing on caring for a loved one is a great thing! It shows your loved one how much you love them and want to help them out when he/she needs it most. We actually have some tips on our Caregiver Corner page on our website. At the end of the webpage, there is a link to a booklet with helpful tips.
Family caregivers are incredible, yet they tend to neglect themselves. St. Anthony’s Hospice can help! When you have a loved one diagnosed with a terminal illness, you are doing everything you can to keep them safe and home. With hospice care, you have nurses, aides, chaplains, a nurse practitioner, and social workers who come to the home to ensure your loved one is taken care of, comfortable, and where they want to be. Read all about the benefits of hospice care here.
Also included in the hospice benefit is the Lucy Smith King Care Center. If you are caring for a loved one and going to a vacation, graduation, any other event, or just need a break, the hospice patient can transfer to the Care Center for up to 5 days of respite care. This gives you some time to tend to yourself and your household, without worrying about your loved one. He/she will stay at the Lucy Smith King Care Center and receive around-the-clock care from our expert staff. Also, we have volunteers who can come to the home and sit with your loved one and chat or do activities while you run some errands!
Taking care of a loved one shouldn’t mean neglecting yourself. With your loved one under St. Anthony’s Hospice care, our goal is to keep you as involved in the care of your loved one as you want to be. Hospice care does not come in and take over everything; rather we support family caregivers by providing extra help to the patient and the caregiver. Call us today at (270) 826-2326 or make an online referral here.
