
{"id":8022,"date":"2024-01-22T08:28:25","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T08:28:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/?p=8022"},"modified":"2024-09-21T09:12:32","modified_gmt":"2024-09-21T09:12:32","slug":"writing-to-a-loved-one-in-hospice-care-finding-the-right-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/writing-to-a-loved-one-in-hospice-care-finding-the-right-words\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing to a Loved One in Hospice Care \u2013 Finding the Right Words"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a close friend or member of the family is in<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/hospice\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Virginia Beach or anywhere else, you\u2019ll want to reach out to show your support. And if you live too far away to visit in person \u2013 or if your loved one doesn\u2019t want anyone to stop by \u2013 expressing how you feel in writing is a good idea. But what should you say?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding the right words for someone who is facing the end of life can be quite difficult. Most people would struggle to pen a thoughtful, heartfelt message, but as team of hospice care workers, we have direct experience in this realm. And, we\u2019re happy to share what we\u2019ve learned over the years. If you\u2019re unsure of what to write to a loved one in hospice care, take inspiration from the following.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9122 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1.webp\" alt=\"hospice care Virginia Beach\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1.webp 1000w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-79x53.webp 79w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-675x450.webp 675w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-24x16.webp 24w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-36x24.webp 36w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/hospice-care-Virginia-Beach-1-48x32.webp 48w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><b>Love<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Telling someone how much you care isn\u2019t easy in writing, but words of love mean a lot at the end of life. Don\u2019t assume that a loved one in hospice care knows how you feel \u2013 spell it out clearly, speaking from the heart. For instance, you might say:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I just want you to know that I love you very much, and I wouldn\u2019t trade a minute of the time we\u2019ve spent together.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s so much I\u2019d like to say, and words seem so inadequate, but I hope you feel surrounded by love.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hoping that today is one of the good days, and sending you love and strength for the days and weeks ahead.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Affirmation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When someone decides to enter hospice care, they\u2019ve accepted the fact that have reached the final chapter of life \u2013 and they want their friends and family to accept this as well. To that end, consider incorporating one of the following into your message:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I know this decision wasn\u2019t an easy one, and I support your choice to focus on comfort care over aggressive treatment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thinking of you not being here makes me sad, but I\u2019m glad that you won\u2019t be suffering or in pain any longer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You put up a good fight, and that has been inspiring, but it\u2019s all right to let go and live out your remaining time on your own terms.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong><b>Gratitude<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expressing thankfulness of your friend or family member and their influence on your life makes for a warm and thoughtful message. Whether the individual in hospice care is someone you love or a more distant connection, show your appreciation by saying:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ve been so lucky to have you in my life, and I truly am thankful for all of the love and memories we\u2019ve shared.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thanks for being you \u2013 you\u2019re such a caring, genuine, funny and unique individual, and I\u2019ll miss our time together.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019m a better person because of you, and I want you to know that you\u2019ve been the best mom (or dad, sister, friend, whichever applies).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong><b>Validation<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone wants to know that their life mattered, and telling a loved one in hospice care that their influence will live on can help them feel at peace as the end draws near. As you write your message, give credit to their accomplishments:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ve done so many incredible things in life \u2013 for the community, in your career and to help all of us \u2013 and you should be proud.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A friend (or parent, sibling, etc.) doesn\u2019t come around very often, and I hope you know that I\u2019ll always hold you close to my heart.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re going to miss you like crazy, but we\u2019ll make sure that all of your amusing stories and fun traditions live on beyond you.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong><b>Comfort<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People in hospice care often worry about how their families will manage without them. So while it may feel as if nothing will ever be good again, your loved one needs to hear that everyone will be taken care of when they\u2019re gone. You can express this by saying:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ll all miss how you\u2019ve cared for us, of course, and we can\u2019t replace that, but we\u2019ll find ways to care for each other.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I hope it will ease your mind to know that I\u2019ll honor your wishes in how I raise the kids, and I\u2019ll try to do the same things you would do at every step.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please don\u2019t worry about me or anyone else \u2013 it\u2019ll take time, but we\u2019ll be all right. At this point, we just want you to feel the love.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong><b>What to Write to a Loved One in Hospice Care<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your message may be heartfelt, and you might have the best intentions, but you still need to be mindful of what you say to someone in hospice care. If you\u2019re having trouble finding the right words for your loved one, we suggest speaking with a member of their hospice care team. With experience comes knowledge, and anyone who works with the terminally ill should be able to steer you in the right direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Suncrest Hospice of Virginia Beach, we\u2019re always ready to offer advice and guidance to those in need. If you\u2019re looking to give your loved one peace and comfort, we\u2019d love to help. For information on our<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/location\/virginia\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> services, contact us today.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When a close friend or member of the family is in hospice care in Virginia Beach or anywhere else, you\u2019ll want to reach out to show your support. And if&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":9122,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8022","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\/8022","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=8022"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9123,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8022\/revisions\/9123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}