Hospice Austin’s Blog
March Bereavement Calendar
All of us grieve in our own way, in our own time. Hospice Austin can help guide you through the complicated and sometimes overwhelming grieving process. You do not have to grieve alone. Here is a list of our in-person and online bereavement support offerings for March.
Flower Fairies
Every patient who comes to Hospice Austin’s Christopher House – upon arrival and every few days thereafter – is brought a fresh bouquet of flowers. Lady Bird Johnson said, “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” Flowers embody the mystery of beauty that one poet called...
February Bereavement Calendar
All of us grieve in our own way, in our own time. Hospice Austin can help guide you through the complicated and sometimes overwhelming grieving process. You do not have to grieve alone. Here is a list of our in-person and online bereavement support offerings for February.
Grief and Healing: Setting Your Intentions for the New Year
After the death of a loved one, we may fervently hope that we will feel better and perhaps “more normal” as a new year begins. Will our grief be a continuation of last year, or will this year be a little better? If we want things to be different, it will help to set intentions mindfully.
On Top of the Mountain
It’s not unusual for families to go into a tailspin during the agonizing terminal illness of a child. However, Mary Rodriguez and her husband, Ricardo Perez, traversed that difficult journey with incredible courage and grace.
A Rookie Volunteer
My first patient, Mrs. A, was a delightful woman with such an easy presence about her. I approached my first visit feeling as prepared as I could be and just a bit fearful that I might not do or say the right thing. In our training, staff and long-time volunteers had shared with us that even they leave patients’ homes thinking about what they did or said that they wish they hadn’t. So I knew that I didn’t have to be perfect. I just needed to BE – to be present for Mrs. A.
In the Right Place
There is a reason I got the opportunity to be part of Hospice Austin. Hospice kept coming up in my life.
Help for the Holidays
The holidays can be extremely painful for people who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Hospice Austin has developed many offerings to help loved ones get through the holidays this season. They are all free and open to anyone in our community.
Hospice Austin Chaplains – Holding a Sacred Space
The end of a person’s life can so easily be consumed by chaos – pain, fear, grief, denial. Hospice Austin chaplains meet patients where they are, and, in the process of listening, bring comfort, peace, and invite patients to reflect on and define the meaning of their lives.
Pet Therapy
Several years ago, a patient was readmitted to Hospice Austin’s Christopher House late on a Friday afternoon. When he had been there before, he’d met Hospice Austin volunteer Rusty and her therapy dog, Faraday, a loving one-eyed white lab. As soon as this patient was wheeled into Christopher House on a gurney – before he even got to his room – he was asking for Faraday: “Where’s the dog? I need to see the dog.” Hospice Austin’s volunteer coordinator ran to call Rusty who immediately said, “I’m on my way.” She and Faraday drove across town and the patient was able to spend time with Faraday. He died two hours later.
