Kindred Hospice

Proud Son of a Veteran

THEY BROUGHT OUR FAMILY TOGETHER. After many years of living with a slowly progressing cancer, the time had come when the pain became unbearable for my father, a Veteran. His quality of life was quickly diminishing. The intermittent visits to the pain clinic were not helping and the bumpy car rides were just torture. I knew that I had to convince my father to change his plans for additional chemotherapy/radiation treatments which likely would have further eroded his quality of life. After speaking with his doctor alongside my mother, we decided the best thing to do would be to engage hospice. KINDRED HOSPICE TO THE RESCUE. My father was afraid of the word hospice and what it meant. He knew that he wanted to stay at home and that he wanted for me (his son) to provide care for him. I called Kindred Hospice on a day when he was in great pain and asked them to explain to him what hospice care meant. Krystal W. was the representative who took our call and explained everything to us. She was so compassionate and allayed any concerns that he had in regards to whether the business might take his home or property. Krystal explained that hospice care is a benefit that is paid for through our Medicare contributions. She also explained that the Kindred Healthcare Team would work to get his pain under control restoring some quality of life. KINDRED HOSPICE TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHING. The very next day after speaking with Krystal, The Kindred Hospice Team was at our doorstep. They are amazing and fast! Immediately, they assessed my father and his medications. They got his pain under control within a couple of days. On the same day of their initial visit, they had our home swarming with kind people who set us up for success with all of the tools (including a hospital bed, oxygen, wheel chair, and walker) necessary for providing excellent care to my father. KINDRED HOSPICE TAUGHT ME HOW TO PROVIDE 24 HOUR CARE. The task of caring for my father was daunting, however The Kindred Hospice Team showed me how to provide good health care myself, including what kinds of changes to look for and report. They also showed me how to bathe an immobile large person, assist with moving and repositioning, and provide wound care. When my father fell late one evening, I called Kindred Hospice and their response was immediate. Within 30 minutes I had the fire department lift assist unit in the home and within an hour, a hospice nurse was at bedside evaluating my father's condition. The very next day, we had a remote x-ray unit taking x-ray images to make sure there was no serious bone breakage. This kind of care and response was comforting. KINDRED BROUGHT US PEACE. Their social worker, Sandy E., spent much time with our family as did all of our assigned healthcare team and they became a part of our family. Everyone was attentive, professional, and held our hands as a family while we transitioned through the end of life process. They helped us to understand the many emotions that flooded through our household during the final months of my father's passing. I will forever be grateful to them for their kindness and compassion. If your loved one has concerns with the idea of hospice like my father did, please act sooner rather than later. Kindred Hospice quickly got my father's pain under control and gave my family so much quality time with my dad where we thought there was none. May you all be blessed by such caring people during such a dark and painful moment in your lives. I would like to personally thank the members of our EXCELLENT care team, Amber M., RN, Millicent (Millie) S., CNA, Sandra (Sandy) E., Social Worker, and Chaplain Bruce M. My father loved all of them as do we all.

Provider Response

Caring84425650

I have Odyssey Gentiva hospice staff that come into my house. When I had a heart attack and needed a nurse before, she came right away. As far as I know, they are doing okay. Their people are very friendly and nice. Yes, I would recommend them. I know they would provide me with whatever I need, whatever it is. They provide pads because I have incontinence, a wheelchair and/or a bed table so I can roll it on top of my bed and use it for eating.