A Life-Long Nurse Received “The Best of Care” at Chatham-Kent Hospice. The Johnston family found peace, compassion, and laughter in their final days together at Chatham-Kent Hospice. Most importantly, they rediscovered the essence of being a family after more than a decade of illness. Rose Johnston, a beacon of kindness with a vibrant sense of humor and a lifelong nurse …
Caring for a resident and their family
Close your eyes and imagine a warm and welcoming place. Somewhere beautiful, spacious, clean, and comfortable. A caring place of unconditional kindness and compassion. Somewhere with really great soup. Now imagine that this is where you get to go during the most difficult and challenging time of your life. In March of 2017 we received the phone call that no …
Hospice Gave Me Healing
According to the HeartMath Institute, resilience is the capacity to prepare for, recover from and adapt in the face of stress, challenge or adversity. Resilience has been a constant in Dennis’ life over the past few years and he gives some of that credit to the support he received from Melissa and the Supportive Care Team at Chatham-Kent …
Dying Gracefully and Gratefully
No one wants to hear a doctor tell them that an illness will end their life but when George heard this message, he wanted to make sure the time he had left was spent wisely. Both George and his wife Marsha had lost their first spouse and had been their caregivers. George wanted to make sure Marsha had support …
One Last Christmas Gift in the Warmth of Hospice
Coming to Hospice two weeks before Christmas was hard, especially knowing the holiday season would not be filled with the usual family traditions. But for Dick, Bev and their entire family, it was the one gift they had been hoping for. “After his heart attack and stroke, we were able to manage at home, but then came his cancer …
Family Time in the Hospice Courtyard Filled with Sun and Peace
N. Jane Rivers grew up in a family of six children – five girls and one boy. The ‘Booth Kids’, as we were often called, were no strangers to loss, losing both parents at a young age and then two siblings, David and Dianne. Despite these losses, or perhaps because of them, we had a closeness as siblings that was …
The easiest decision during a difficult time…
How the promise of a bubble bath changed a family’s end-of-life experience My mom, Kerry, was the definition of a ‘social butterfly’ in the best way possible. She had a genuine interest in everyone she met and a contagious laugh that could fill a room. She made people feel important and taken care of, which also made her a great …
Hospice helps a family feel ‘normal’ even at the end
A life defined by strength, determination, resilience, generosity and kindness; that is how Kristen’s family described her. Kristen touched the lives of so many people through the years, including her family members and close friends, people she mentored, worked with, and taught at the pool, and people she met in the community. Kristen was well-known for being caring and kind, …
A beautiful exit for a wonderful man
“Sometimes in your worst moments, you have the greatest memories” shared Fannie, Peter’s daughter, reflecting on their time spent at Chatham-Kent Hospice. It was a late November evening when Peter and his family moved into Hospice. Peter had been fighting cancer for several years with numerous hospital stays. His wife, Catherine, had been his main caregiver with his daughters, …
The gentlest way for the worst to happen
Pam was an amazing wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend. She was a quiet and generous soul who listened with intent and, when she had something to say, you knew it would be worthy of your attention. Pam was an incredible role model and teacher, and she selflessly put others (notably, her family) before all else. She spent many …