How to Make A Hospice Care Basket #FamilyCaregiving
A few years ago I wrote a post about Hospice care, it was a brief post that focused on what to do for the family and how to be there for them. But today, I am going to focus on the patient. It was so hard to watch my dad who was so full of life and larger than the life I might add, slowly slip away. I decided to write another post to tell you what you can do for a patient in hospice. That is to make a hospice care basket.
When the time came to decide on hospice care, my mom made the decision to put him into a facility. It wasn’t an easy decision, she wanted what was best for him. And Kitty Askins was what was best. She tried to make him as comfortable as possible. When a person goes into Hospice care, they are not only losing their lives but their dignity as well. I remember one of the things that bothered my dad the most was not being able to get up and go to the bathroom by himself. He was too weak to do it on his own, he had fallen a couple of times while attempting to do just that. But sometimes you just want to do things by yourself.
Thinking about my dad, I decided I wanted to do a post to help others who have a loved one in hospice care. When I was thinking about some of the things to put in the basket while I was at Sam’s, I couldn’t help thinking about the episodes with my dad and the bathroom. So I knew that Depends would be one of the first things I would add to the basket. Not only do they feel like underwear but Sam’s Club has so many options to buy items when you don’t have time to shop and let’s face it when you have a loved one whose life is ending you want to spend as much time with them.
Just look at all options:
- Discreet shipping– Maintain a sense of peace when ordering sensitive items knowing that once it is delivered, you and only you will know what’s inside.
- Free Shipping on select items from select locations
- Club Pick-up – Shop online and looking for items marked “Club Pick-up”. You can also use the “Easy Reorder” option and select from a list of your past in-club and online purchases Get time back in your day as a member of Sam’s Club team fills your cart with your items. Bypass the register and check in on the app, at the kiosk inside or pull up in our Drive Thru area (available in select clubs).
- Scan & Go– Download the Sam’s Club Scan & Go app to gain access to great deals, pay quicker, and beat the checkout lines!
So that was the main staple in my hospice care basket. Other items I added were
- A fluffy blanket- my dad was always cold so blankets were a must-have item.
- A nice pillow- something that they can either rest their head on or wrap their arms around,
- Pictures of loved ones. When my dad was in hospice, it was around Christmas time, so I made him a Christmas tree with pictures of the family as the ornaments.
- Music- Music is so calming to many in hospice care.
- Some of their favorite books. Even if they can’t read, have some read to you is just as soothing.
- A journal- They are able to write they can put their last thoughts down or they can get someone else too.
- A birdfeeder to hang outside their window. This was my dad’s favorite thing to do, watch the birds. And I think it is no coincidence that my mom has tons of cardinals eating from the bird feeders at her house.
Of course, these are just a few things that you add to a hospice care basket. I will add that if a person in hospice asks for any particular kind of food, as a few mouthfuls into the basket as well. My dad was like that with Zaxby’s fries.
So sweet and thoughtful! Hospice can be a topic that many shy away from because it IS a tough thing to go through, so I’m glad you wrote this post to help get the conversation going about how we can support those in hospice care.
What lovely ideas for a hospice care package. I never would have thought of a bird feeder or music. ??
In my dad’s last days, he got so much joy watching the birds outside his window. He loved watching them.
This is actually the second one I wrote. This one I wanted to write to assist the patient. The other post was about the family.
Difficult moments in our family’s lives are softened just a bit by thoughtfulness such as this care basket you put together with such love. What a great idea!
Your post brought back memories of times with each of my parents. My dad and I used to go out by a pond at the nursing home he was in. I would wheel him out and we would sit and watch the little ducklings swim. Simple pleasures ?
Yep I have learned that sometimes the simple things are best.
Thats a lovely idea. I would love to get one for my dad as well.
Yes I will say that my dad enjoyed these things.