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.
In Our Words: The Freedom to Question
by Brian Whited, our Chaplain GSH Staff, on this Good Friday, here is a devotion for you. Love you all. Keep up the good work. God is in control. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He knows each hair on our head. But the world we live in is also chaotic and...
Are you pushing against reality?
We all quarrel with reality from time to time and wish things were different than they are. Especially now, when life seems unfair. All flights have been cancelled due to the coronavirus and you won’t be able to be with your Dad on his 80th birthday…. Your mom is in...
In Our Own Words: Our Souls are fed by Needle & Thread
by Carey Frost-Perdue, Executive Administrator of Administration When our way of life becomes unstable, we can tend to panic and close ourselves off and away until the danger has passed. That is just human nature. It's not necessarily a bad thing because when...
Are generic drugs inferior?
If your relative is taking brand-name prescription drugs, a switch to generic could provide significant savings. Why are brand-name drugs so expensive? It takes a lot of money and time to develop a new drug. In particular, it must be tested to show it works and is...
In Our Own Words: Cows on a Hill
by Brian Whited, Chaplain, Gentle Shepherd Hospice The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth...for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a...
In Our Words: Prayers during difficult times
In the midst of this crisis, most of the Gentle Shepherd staff is in the field or working remotely. In lieu of a marketing team meeting today, we received a touching email from Tracie McKenney, our executive director of strategic development and mission advancement. I...
Keep calm and stay in balance
This is a time of great uncertainty. It's natural to feel a wide range of emotions, including fear, anxiety, confusion, or loneliness. It is also a time to take extra care to address your feelings and keep them from paralyzing or overwhelming you. Get the facts. Our...
COVID-19: Recommended Steps to Prevent Illness
As COVID-19 spreads, experts indicate many people will not have or exhibit serious symptoms even if they contract the disease. However, there are two groups of people who are especially at risk, the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions. Older adults and...
SPECIAL ALERT Regarding our Response to COVID-19
Gentle Shepherd Hospice continues to closely monitor COVID-19 and following all Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. Since early in 2020, our multi-disciplinary emergency preparedness response team has been coordinating all operations in accordance with...
Does Dad “saw logs” all night?
If your loved one snores, this may be a sign of "sleep apnea." All snoring jokes aside, sleep apnea is a serious condition that deprives the brain of oxygen. A person with sleep apnea goes without oxygen for at least 10 seconds, five to 30 (or more) times an hour. It...
Caring for a loved one with COVID-19?
What we know so far is that COVID-19 is spread much like the regular flu—through coughs and sneezes that put droplets in the air and on surfaces. It may be 2–14 days after exposure before a person has symptoms. That means people can spread the virus without knowing...
Dad can’t brush his teeth
Is dementia making oral care difficult? Unfortunately, this isn't a task to let go. Poor mouth care leads to cavities and gum disease, and then to toothaches, sore gums, and a disinterest in food. It can also contribute to a deadly infection, "aspiration pneumonia."...