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.
Managing chronic pain
“Chronic pain” is pain that lasts for 12 weeks or more. The cause is usually nervous system misfiring, like a faulty car alarm system. Often there is no specific trigger, which makes treatment difficult.
God in Front
This verse is found in the Old Testament. It was given at the time that the Israelites were going to cross the Jordon river. They were on the precipice of conquering Jericho. You all remember that story about circling the walls daily for seven days?
Siblings
We have been taking a few days for Don to get re-acclimated to Eastern Standard Time since returning from a mission trip to Uganda. Since Don’s biological clock has been eight hours ahead of the rest of us, the down-time has been a great gift and actually came in handy as we got up at 3:30 am this morning to get to the airport.
The Love of Parents
Thinking this morning about missing my parents and days gone by. My two brothers and I were very fortunate to be born into a Christian, hardworking family. We kids and grandchildren meant the world to our parents. They were encouraging, pushing us to do our best and always setting a high bar for our lives. They taught us to see the good in others and to look for opportunities to bless those around us. They made mistakes and were not perfect parents but to me they were the best one could ever want.
Dementia: safety and independence
Everyone with a memory loss condition deserves the opportunity to stay engaged in life for as long as possible. Early in the disease, your loved one will continue to do many things quite well. Your challenge is to balance respect for your relative's independence with...
Smartwatches for seniors
The makers of smartwatches are now designing products for older adults. And they just may have come up with an acceptable alternative to the standard "I've fallen and I can't get up" pendant. Perhaps you've tried to get your loved one to wear a personal emergency...
Researching treatments online
For those facing a serious—or even incurable—condition, the Internet can seem to be the last refuge of hope. But how can you distinguish a trustworthy website from that of a huckster? "Follow the money" is an important key for deciding if a website is truly unbiased....
In Our Words — Behind the scenes
Staff comments compiled by: Lynette Mutter Mull, Director of Strategic Development and Mission Advancement Hardly a week (or day) goes by without us receiving a thoughtful thank you note from the loved ones of a patient we have cared for. Mary Bowser, one of our...
Age-friendly kitchen
Aging creates so many "new normals." Even routine activities such as cooking may become challenging for your loved one. Balance issues can make reaching, bending, or lifting a problem. Arthritis often makes it difficult to maneuver pans and tools, turn on a faucet, or...
The Power of Words
Co-founder and Vice President Kim Eckenroth, MS, APRN, FNP-C, often writes devotionals for our staff. We thought you might also appreciate them, so we created a special section on our blog to share them with you. We hope they touch your heart too....
Setting Limits Nicely
Many of us were raised to believe that the only polite or kind answer is "yes." But as Dr. Christine Carter, a UC Berkeley researcher, notes, "If you find yourself saying 'yes' when you mean 'no,' it's a recipe for overwhelm and exhaustion." Not to mention resentment,...
The Love of Family
Co-founder and Vice President Kim Eckenroth, MS, APRN, FNP-C, often writes devotionals for our staff. We thought you might also appreciate them, so we created a special section on our blog to share them with you. We hope they touch your heart too. As I...