Gentle Shepherd Blog

Our team at Gentle Shepherd Hospice wants you to have the practical information you need to make the most of every day. Check out these helpful articles and devotionals written by Kim Eckenroth our co-founder and VP of patient care.

Cold weather safety tips for indoors

Cold weather safety tips for indoors

The dangers of cold weather are obvious outdoors. But there are dangers indoors, too, most often because the house thermostat is set too low. People can die from being too cold. Older adults are especially at risk. Signs of low body temperature (hypothermia)....

read more
Healing torn relations

Healing torn relations

Take any roomful of people and likely two-thirds of them have relatives who aren't talking to each other. Families are messy. Hurts abound. Some people wait until a serious diagnosis to reconcile. They often regret the years of separation they can never retrieve....

read more
Dementia and small children

Dementia and small children

The grandparent–grandchild relationship can be precious, like no other. But even young children notice if Grandma or Grandpa isn't acting the way they used to, or the same way others do. And they will have questions. "Why does he keep calling me by Dad's name?" "She...

read more
Is your home safe for older guests?

Is your home safe for older guests?

If you expect older visitors this season, check your home for hazards. Older adults often have impaired balance and vision. This makes them prone to falling, especially in new surroundings. And fragile skin and bones can mean double trouble if someone does take a...

read more
Not taking meds as directed?

Not taking meds as directed?

Taking the right medicines at the right time is extremely important to health management. But 75%­­–96% of older adults admit that they frequently make mistakes with their medication. Is your loved one among them? There are many reasons why a person might not take...

read more
Gifts for those with memory loss

Gifts for those with memory loss

Deciding what holiday gifts to give a person with memory loss can be challenging. Following are some tips to share with family members. The gift of time A special date to share cookies and send holiday cards to othersAttending seasonal music eventsCaroling together A...

read more
Honoring family caregivers

Honoring family caregivers

November is National Family Caregivers Month. We want to express our gratitude to you, who are part of the 40 million people (one in six Americans) who care for an older adult friend or relative. So many family caregivers feel invisible, we thought we'd give you some...

read more
Suppose they don’t get better …

Suppose they don’t get better …

Are frequent visits to the ER a significant part of the past six to twelve months? Does your loved one seem more fatigued? Less interested in eating? Perhaps a bit withdrawn? These symptoms may be hallmarks of a serious illness your relative will overcome. But it's...

read more
Palliative care for seriously ill veterans

Palliative care for seriously ill veterans

Is your family member seriously ill or in frail condition? A veteran? If so, the VA has a special service that offers palliative care to keep your loved one comfortable. The cause of your loved one’s ill health is not important in requesting palliative care. The point...

read more
Putting anticipation to work for you

Putting anticipation to work for you

Do you ever wish you could wave a magic wand for more joy? Patience? Optimism? Motivation? Maybe less irritability and stress? It's actually accessible now, no wizardry required. Just a shift in attention. Welcome to "anticipation." You may have noticed that half the...

read more
What is Lewy body dementia?

What is Lewy body dementia?

The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. However, there are many other conditions that also bring on memory problems. It is important to accurately identify the cause, even if there's no cure, because this will shape the best strategy for addressing...

read more
October is National Crime Prevention Month

October is National Crime Prevention Month

It's unpleasant to imagine that your loved one might become the victim of crime, but it's worth considering. There are valuable preventive steps to take. Unless your relative lives in a high-crime neighborhood, their greatest risk is a property crime in or around...

read more