Hospice can provide many things to the family and friends of someone receiving care. One of the most important, caregiver Nancy Hyde says, is a “peaceful place.”

Nancy’s husband Earl died in July 2022, after spending his last few days at Centrica Rose Arbor Place. Even though he was only there for less than 5 full days, Nancy says she appreciated the difference between conditions at Centrica Rose Arbor Place and the hospital where Earl was staying before moving to hospice.

A visit to Centrica Rose Arbor Place

Nancy was already familiar with hospice service before learning about Centrica Care Navigators, so she knew that was what she and Earl wanted for him.

“It was hard to be there, but I appreciated the very peacefulness of the place,” she says. “He was very agitated in the hospital, and he wasn’t positive about a nursing home. At Rose Arbor Place he was finally quiet.”

Support from the team

Though every patient receives service from the entire Centrica Care Navigators interdisciplinary group (IDG), Nancy says she only met a few people on the team, given the short amount of time Earl spent in care. She met his nurse, and the social worker helping them examine their options for support.

The team stayed in contact with Nancy, to make sure she was always up to date on Earl’s condition.

“They do a wonderful job of keeping you posted,” she says. “They knew (his death) was imminent. I was grateful to be there.”

“The benefits of having someone to talk to”

Nancy had two family members die in 2022 — her daughter Samantha died in April, though she did not have time to transfer to hospice care. Nancy’s experience with Centrica Care Navigators didn’t end after Earl’s death later that same year.

If they wish, every family can receive up to 13 months of grief support following bereavement. For Nancy, who was a school counselor before her retirement, that took the form of conversations with a grief counselor.

“I understand the benefits of having someone to talk to,” she says. “If you were a person who didn’t have that support it would be much more difficult.”

Grief support services can vary, depending on the support an individual feels they need. Some people gather in specialized groups, while others are more comfortable meeting more informally, when they are looking for someone to listen and help them work through their grief.

Nancy says in December, she participated in a special group focused on grief during the holiday season. Like every part of her experience with Centrica Care Navigators, the group helped her find peace.

“It helped to erase some of the anxiety, and that really made a difference,” she says.

Find out more about Centrica Hospice Care and Centrica Grief Support. Explore our website or call Centrica Care Navigators at 269.345.0273.