by Brad Heidrick
Over the past few years, I’ve learned that for many people, “hospice” is a scary word. And it’s understandable how that can be the case. We might think of a loved one we saw suffering who needed hospice care, or simply associate it with dying.
One of the beauties of our Catholic faith is that it helps us prepare for eternal life with Christ, but the simple fact is that we all will have to pass away to reach that point. It is in that preparation where our hope lies, because through our faith we are offered a glimpse of heaven while we’re still here on Earth.
Hospice doesn’t have to be a scary word, though. Patients who come to Catholic Community Health “graduate” from our care all the time and go on to have a better quality of life as a result of having chosen hospice. It can provide comfort, manage symptoms and allow patients and their families to spend their time focusing on what matters most. Patients receiving hospice care often live longer than originally expected.
At Catholic Community Health, all of this care is offered in the context of our Catholic faith and guided by the “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.” Our full-time deacon chaplains, talented staff and amazing volunteers pray with patients and their families and work to make what can be a challenging time a beautiful and faith-filled experience.
Preparation is an important part of that experience. We often find that individuals are not presented with every hospice option available to them, so it is critical to know that you have a choice. When receiving end-of-life care, your wishes and religious beliefs should be considered at every step. We pride ourselves on serving everyone who comes to us with a Catholic, faith-first approach.
But those decisions are much easier when they are made before a crisis.
No matter what stage of life we are in, there is value in taking time to make our wishes known. Talk with your family about the care you would want. Consider who should speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself. Make sure your will and estate plans are in order. And perhaps most importantly, make sure the people you love know where those documents are and understand what is important to you.
These aren’t always comfortable conversations, but making those decisions ahead of time can be a tremendous gift to your family. Instead of asking them to guess during an already difficult moment, you have given them the peace of knowing your wishes.
Our team has spent the last several years working to make Catholics throughout our Kansas City community aware that Catholic hospice is available. When the time comes that you or someone you love needs that care, you have a choice and Catholic Community Health is here to serve.
Preparing for death does not mean that we have given up on life. As Catholics, we know quite the opposite. We prepare with hope for the life that is still to come.
