A Summer Storm Story (aka, Hospice Caregiver Stress)

O nce upon a time

(in the summer of '18) ...

... a summer storm knocked down a sturdy tree.

Its long-time partner-tree tried to hold it up, aware that a beloved life was ending.

How long can this partner/caregiver tree withstand the stress, without falling and crashing, too? Without destroying other "family" trees and plants in its path?

Expert professionals came. They knew how to assess needs and plan for timely, safe, compassionate care. They ensured regulatory safety, timely actions, respectful communications, and expert information about what needed to be done: why, when, where, by whom, and how.

In the midst of sadness, all marveled at this tree's personal history, exploring its rings of meanings--its years of strength and survival.

Moving into Labor Day

The partner-caregiver tree's wounds are exposed. Still raw.

Many broken branches will not grow back.

Surely, these scars will show up in its own rings of meaning.

Today, those who loved the tree always see the hole, where it's missing from the whole.

The caregiver tree looks so barren. Will it heal? What support does it need through seasons ahead?

Come Autumn ...

... this landscape's familiar Fall colors will be gone.

Sometime in these lonely days, a certain survey will arrive ...

Switch this metaphor over to the real-life stories of hospice patients, caregivers, and families you've served this

Summer of 2018.

How will they respond to the Caregiver Survey?

How informed were they about the care your hospice provided?
Did they really "get" it, or have they been second-guessing it? Like, medications and other palliative interventions?
Did they ever feel disrespected by your staff or volunteers?
What grief care have they experienced from you, thus far? A letter? A phone call? Something more?

Back to our Summer Storm Story ...

"... and they all lived happily ever after ? "

What fresh, relevant grief care and resources could they already have been experiencing, ever since that Summer Storm first hit?

Not just the primary caregiver,

but the whole family?

Especially those who can't get to your support groups or counseling services ?

Strengthen Your 24/7 Resources for Caregivers and Families Across the Continuum of Care

(New Logo, July 2018)

Composing Life has developed timely online services to strengthen your compassionate care with your hospice and palliative patients, caregivers, and their families. Examine how we can equip you to ...

Improve primary caregiver/family access to timely information and support, across the continuum of care
Encourage timely calls from the caregiver/family to your hospice, alerting you to recognize "final days" and increase your team's visits
Provide cost-efficient, evidence-based grief education from Serious Illness through Bereavement Care
Improve your Medicare compliance