A Different
Season: The Hospice Journey
by G. Leigh Wilkerson, RN
Simply the best booklet to guide families through the ups
and downs of the entire end-of-life caregiving experience,
or your money back! Covers the hospice concept, services,
caregiving challenges, pain control, food & fluid
issues, as well as full coverage of the dying process. Use
in volunteer and staff training too. This booklet can be a
review for the teaching done by experienced staff – or
serve as a guide for less-experienced staff. (5.5 x 8.5
booklet, 32 pages)
Helps Families; Eases Staff workload. You Staff will notice
the difference!
Can be used as a stand-alone educational handout to lead
the family from admission to initial bereavement.
Ideal for admission-packets, this 32-page booklet answers
the questions hospice caregivers have:
◦ What is Comfort
Care?
◦ Why choose Comfort
Care?
◦ How does Hospice
work?
◦ Is it time for
Hospice?
◦ Caregiving help
◦ Food, Fluids,
Swallowing
◦ Pain Control
◦ Physical Changes
◦ Unfinished Business
◦ Signs and signals in
the dying process...and more.
How to use A Different
Season with every family in your care:
At
Admission – Orienting
to Comfort care. Refer family to pages 1-4. The admission
process can be overloading. The booklet leaves them with a
comforting guide who stays after staff have to leave.
Families new to Caregiving – Refer family to pages 5-11. Affirms and
encourages the new caregiver. Simplifies the care goals to:
Will it promote comfort? Aids caregiver confidence. Helps
caregivers answer family questions like, “Why hospice!?”
When
Food/Fluids become an issue – Refer to pages 12-14. This section will
help with this difficult topic for families. Lessens
pressure to force food. Caregivers are less distressed when
swallowing fails. Your teaching is reinforced. Caregivers
can hand the booklet to other family members, instead of
calling your staff, again.
For Caregivers who withhold pain meds “till he really needs it.” Refer to pages
18-22. Full coverage of long-acting vs. short acting, PRN
vs. scheduled, and more.
When the dying process begins – From the early changes in
appetite and withdrawal, to late changes of apnea and
mottling, each step is clearly and gently presented.
Caregivers know what is happening and why.
And much more!
Over 70,000 copies in use across the country. (Also
available in Spanish)