Having VNA Hospice for my wife, Jane, definitely helped me. And the people they sent were fantastic. She really got close to one of the nurses, Mildred. Mildred and the other nurses would take her temperature and that kind of thing and just see how she’s doing. And Cathy, who is a VNA volunteer, came just to sit with Jane while I did errands. She got really close to her. We had a good relationship, too. In fact, I’ve seen Cathy a couple of times since then for lunch.
All the girls that came in to administer care to Jane, I have no complaints. They provided bathing service three times a week, and in addition to the volunteer, we had music therapy. Years ago, Jane conjured me into dance lessons to learn some disco moves – she loved to dance. And she loved music, and I love music, so the music therapy was right up our alley. The music therapist sang songs from our time period: the 60’s and 70s and even the 80s.
I also took Jane to Hospice House for *Respite Care three or four times, and it was a relief. It helped me out a lot. I mean, I missed her, but I still I got some rest, and I appreciated that a whole lot. In fact, the last respite at Hospice House she went to was where she finally started to “transition,” and that’s a word I’d never heard of; well I’ve heard it in other respects, but it really shocked me because I went there to visit her, and she was there, but she wasn’t there, if you know what I mean; she was almost comatose.
I brought her back home to pass. VNA helped, and we got a hospital bed installed in our bedroom, and she passed in about four or five days. That last night, I was up at 2:30 in the morning to give her her medicine – she had to have it every three to four hours – and she had passed. I called the VNA nurse, and she was here within an hour. What an incredible help.
*The VNA Hospice Respite Care Program allows at-home hospice patients a stay up to five days each month at the state-of-the art VNA Hospice House. This Medicare benefit includes transportation and is a break for the primary caregiver, giving them the opportunity to recharge and rest, resulting in less caregiver burnout and more energy to devote to their loved ones.
All names in this article have been changed for privacy reasons.
This information is for educational purposes. Please consult your physician for any medical issues. The Visiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast (VNA) is committed to bringing trusted and quality home health, private care and hospice to Indian River County patients. For more information about VNA Hospice or any VNA services, call 772-567-5551 or visit www.vnatc.com.
