Hospice Care done well at home
Years ago my mom passed away from pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed just before mother’s day And passed away June 8 th. Her diagnosis came as a shock to our family. My mom was my dad ‘S caregiver for the past year following his by pass surgery and Parkinson’s surgery. There was nothing that could be done for mom, so she asked that she be able to stay at home to die. Her family doctor called the Palliative Care team in Windsor area who came within a few days to the house.
The first visit included the palliative care tea, the doctor, the nurses manager and a nurse. Mom was asked what she wanted - her goals- to die at home without pain. The team was amazing. Within a few days, medical,equipment arrived at our house that mom would need on this journey, a medical bed, a walker, a wheelchair, a commode, oxygen and a black box that would contain all of the drugs she might need. They were in place before they were an absolute necessity. They told us we would not see the doctor or nurse manager again until death was imminent, but we saw a nurses and paw worker everyday. Mom was offered spiritual and mental counselling. An occupational therapist came and assessed the home for safety and mobilization. They took one extra step which still amazes me to this day. They realized my mom had been caring for my dad who could manage, but not well. Another occupational therapist came in assessed day, added some safety equipment to the list and dad got a care taker as well to help him.
As mom’s primary caregiver, I asked the nurse and the doctor to explain to me all of the things that might happen to my mom and the death process moved forward. They spent the time telling everything that might happen and what I should do. Nothing happened to my mom that I was not prepared to handle. When I looked tired, I was offered overnight respite care.
Educational materials, counselling and moral support was offered provided to all of my siblings and my dad.
Our whole family was enveloped by a system that was kind, empathetic and supporting. There were no surprises, no moments of panic.
All family members came to visit mom the day she passed away. When her final child came home, she peacefully took her last breath. We called her nurse, and she told us to call her back when we were ready to let mom go and to take as long as we needed as things would move quickly once she came. We spent about two hours as a family saying goodbye to mom. We called her nurse again, and she was there within minutes and completed the tasks she needed to do. She then called all of the girls into mom’s room, and guided us in washing mom and dressing her like she was leaving the house to go to town. It was a tender, spiritual and loving moment that still resonates with me 6 years later.
Although we still mourn the loss of my mom and we’re shocked by how quickly this cancer took her life, our family has only peaceful memories of her final weeks on earth thanks to the excellent support we received for on the hospice centre in Windsor.
