The holiday season is usually a time of joy, wonder, and togetherness, but when you have a loved one in hospice care, participating in your normal celebrations can be difficult.
When your loved one is in hospice care during the holidays, it can put a cloud of sadness over your normal celebrations. While this season may be stressful, there are many reasons why hospice care can help make your holidays a little bit more normal.
With hospice care, your loved one isn’t going to be in a hospital over the holidays. This means you can do normal holiday activities in a comfortable and friendly space.
There won’t be any beeping machines or uncomfortable hospital beds to add extra stress. Hospice patients don’t have limits on visits or visiting hours they have to stick to, so you can welcome far-off friends and family to participate in the holiday cheer with you if you want.
Stay in the moment
You may feel too sad to join in on celebrations, or you may feel despair at what future celebrations may look like. You may be caught up in grief at what you’ll miss out on in the future, but it’s important to stay in the present this holiday season.
Even though this season can stir up many conflicting feelings, hospice care can help your loved one regain a sense of normalcy and help you create new special memories with your family. By focusing on the present, you can keep some of your normal traditions and enjoy being together. There is still so much to celebrate.
Share stories
The holidays will be different this year, but you can still make memories and celebrate with your loved ones. In fact, it’s important to keep some of your normal routines and traditions in place even throughout a hospice stay. By maintaining your regular holiday routines, as much as you can, you can create new memories and look back on this time with warmth.
One way to create new memories with your loved one is to reflect on old memories. Take turns sharing stories of holiday traditions, trips, and memorable moments involving your loved one. You can even ask distant friends and family to write down holiday memories and send them to you to share.
Get support
Even with your best efforts, you may still need extra support to help you through this season. At Envis
ion Hospice, we want to do whatever it takes to help you and your loved one get the support you need. We offer a host of support services for individuals in hospice care and also for their families. We know that taking care of a loved one in hospice care is an emotional task, and our professional staff is here to help.
At Envision Hospice, some of the ways we offer support are through:
- Chaplains. We have spiritual advisors who will help walk you through the different emotions and questions this season of life brings.
- Nurses. Our highly-trained nurses will make sure your loved one stays comfortable and in control of their care plan.
- Volunteers. Our volunteers offer a listening ear and a helping hand during this season. They can do small tasks for your loved one or spend time with them.
- Massage and aromatherapists. Your loved one can receive a little pampering and holiday cheer this season from our massage and aromatherapists. Our therapists are trained to offer care specifically for hospice patients to reduce stress and pain.
If you’re ready to learn more about spending the holidays at home with your loved one, contact Envision Hospice today. We’re here to help however we can.