{"id":7320,"date":"2023-12-05T08:22:33","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T08:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/?p=7320"},"modified":"2024-09-21T10:07:39","modified_gmt":"2024-09-21T10:07:39","slug":"how-to-support-a-friend-with-a-loved-one-in-hospice-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/how-to-support-a-friend-with-a-loved-one-in-hospice-care\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Support a Friend with a Loved One in Hospice Care"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If someone you care about has a loved one in<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/location\/tulsa\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, your support can make all the difference. But if you\u2019re like many people in the Tulsa area, this sort of situation isn\u2019t one you inherently know how to handle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, how can you help your friend at this difficult time? What can you do that won\u2019t be intrusive?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bringing comfort to someone who is grieving isn\u2019t easy, and it\u2019s only natural to feel apprehensive about reaching out. With that being said, your friend needs your support now more than ever before. Here, the hospice care professionals at Suncrest of Tulsa share several strategies for showing how much you care.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9113 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa.webp\" alt=\"hospice care Tulsa\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa.webp 1000w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-79x53.webp 79w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-675x450.webp 675w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-24x16.webp 24w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-36x24.webp 36w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Tulsa-48x32.webp 48w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>What to Say to Support a Grieving Friend<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a loved one enter hospice care can turn anyone\u2019s world upside down. Your friend is likely going through a rollercoaster of emotions, and offering words of comfort can be a good way of showing your support. If you\u2019re not sure what to say, think about what you would and wouldn\u2019t want to hear if you were in their shoes. For inspiration, consider one of the following prompts:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I\u2019m so sorry to hear about your loved one<\/strong>. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saying this might seem like a bit of a clich\u00e9, but when you\u2019re speaking from the heart and you genuinely care, your words will sound sincere.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Tell me how you\u2019re really doing<\/strong>. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your friend may need an outlet for the feelings that emerge when someone close enters hospice care, and being there to listen may offer some relief.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I\u2019m available to help with anything you need<\/strong>.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Hospice care services don\u2019t include around-the-clock care, and help with tasks like laundry, grocery shopping and cleaning is sure to be appreciated.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I wish I had the right words to bring you comfort<\/strong>. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This statement shows that you care about how your friend is feeling without making any assumptions in regards to their grief journey.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What NOT to Say to Someone Who is Grieving<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comforting your friend is the goal, and that being so, you\u2019ll want to choose your words carefully. Sometimes, despite having the best intentions, people say things that aren\u2019t as reassuring as they think &#8212; or, worse, they make a statement in reference to hospice care that is actually upsetting. You may already know what not to say to your grieving friend, but here are a few examples of comments to avoid:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Everything is going to be OK<\/strong>. <\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saying this implies that the individual in hospice care will recover or that getting over their death will be easy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Your loved one is going to a better place<\/strong>.<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Not everyone believes in an afterlife, and for your friend, the best place for their loved one is right here.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>This must be God\u2019s plan<\/strong>. <\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some people aren\u2019t all that religious or don\u2019t believe in God, and in any case, these words can sound self-righteous.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>I know exactly how you feel<\/strong>. <\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may have been through a similar experience with family in hospice care, but grief is different for everyone.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Sound Strategies for Supporting Your Friend<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether sudden or expected, the transition to hospice care can be difficult for everyone involved. When visiting with your friend, aim to be compassionate in the way you communicate \u2013 and know that sometimes being present is enough for the loved one of a hospice patient. However, if you\u2019d like to do more to help your friend, consider one of the following strategies:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Supply ready-to-eat meals.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding the time to cook can be challenging when caring for a hospice patient, and supplying homemade freezer meals or having food delivered can be a good way to show how much you care.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Provide self-care tools.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a loved one in hospice care, your friend isn\u2019t focused on their own needs. To brighten their day, send over a gift basket stocked with comfy socks, bath bombs, soothing lotion and a nice hardcover journal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Offer to make phone calls.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Families of hospice patients are often inundated with calls from people who want updates, and repeating the same sad story over and over can be emotionally draining. If you keep everyone in the loop, your friend can avoid this experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Assist with out-of-town relatives.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Family members who don\u2019t live in the Tulsa area may come out to visit the hospice patient. Their visits may be welcome, but your friend may appreciate you volunteering to help with hotel pickups and transportation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><i>Reach out on a regular basis.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spending a great deal of time with a loved one in hospice care creates a massive shift in routine, and your friend may miss their social life. To keep them from feeling isolated and alone, phone or text often \u2013 and let them know it\u2019s OK not to reply.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you have questions about<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/hospice\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? Or would you like more advice on how to help your grieving friend? The professional team at Suncrest Hospice of Tulsa would be happy to provide the information you need. We have extensive experience in the realm of hospice care, and with our advice, you can support your friend. To learn more, contact us today.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If someone you care about has a loved one in hospice care, your support can make all the difference. But if you\u2019re like many people in the Tulsa area, this&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":9113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7320","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-blog"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7320"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9143,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7320\/revisions\/9143"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}