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.

Positive connections with staff

Positive connections with staff

Your loved one's daily experience in a hospital, rehab, or assisted living community—even at home with paid home help—greatly depends on the aides who care for them. You can help ensure a good experience by building a positive relationship with those staff so they are...

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Choosing a “senior tablet”

Choosing a “senior tablet”

Much of life's interactions occurs online these days. If your loved one is not tech savvy, has mild dementia, or has little access to support in a facility, you might consider a "senior tablet." They have limitations compared to the typical consumer tablet, but could...

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Dementia: Navigating the airport

Dementia: Navigating the airport

As exciting as a trip can be, for a person with dementia, the loss of routine is confusing. And the loud, large, busy terminal spaces are often distressing. Too much stimuli! Your job is to keep the process as calm and unhurried as possible. If you are rushing,...

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Why Mom doesn’t take her pills

Why Mom doesn’t take her pills

Did your mom teach you to "do what the doctor says"? If she's not following doctor's orders for medications now, you're probably feeling confused. And concerned.  It's common for patients not to take pills as directed. Some typical reasons:  "It's too...

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How nutrition affects breathing

How nutrition affects breathing

Food and oxygen are the basic fuels that we need for the cells of our body to do their jobs. People with COPD have to expend more energy breathing. Because their exhales are not always efficient, they tend to develop high levels of carbon dioxide. Not good. ...

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Pacing yourself

Pacing yourself

If you develop health problems—mental or physical—what happens to your loved one? Their well-being depends on yours. So it's vital that you keep yourself healthy and in balance, for your sake as well as theirs. Not taking the time to do this is the biggest regret of...

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Financial/legal aspects of caregiving

Financial/legal aspects of caregiving

Look for financial support for caregivingMedicare doesn't pay for home care or other nonmedical support. You'll need to find other options. Benefits. Does your loved one have long-term care insurance? Did they serve in the armed forces? (If so, they may be eligible...

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Family Caregiving 101

Family Caregiving 101

Family caregivers typically spend four to five years caring for an aging relative. While gratifying, it can also be overwhelming. Pacing yourself for the long haul is part of the solution. This issue of our newsletter outlines the top support strategies recommended by...

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Flying with oxygen

Flying with oxygen

If your relative needs medical oxygen, it's crucial that you plan ahead for plane travel. From oxygen requirements to battery power, you need to be sure they have enough to cover the whole trip. (You don't want to run out midair!) You'll need to cover not only the...

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Curbing your perfectionism

Curbing your perfectionism

If you are a perfectionist, you may have noticed that your high standards often backfire. Despite your best intentions, you actually accomplish less. Research confirms this. Studies also show that perfectionism frequently leads to anxiety, depression, and difficult...

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Affordable funerals

Affordable funerals

We are all vulnerable to an upsell when we want to honor a deceased family member. Fortunately, the Federal Trade Commission offers some protection in the form of standards all funeral homes must follow. This enables you to make apples-to-apples comparisons. For...

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Physical therapy and pain relief

Physical therapy and pain relief

Pain is no fun, whether in a knee, a neck, or elsewhere in the body. There are drugs that dull pain. But they don't cure the problem. Plus, prescription drugs usually have side effects or are addictive. Physical therapy (PT) is a proven treatment that can relieve pain...

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