Meet Charlie! He’s a Pomeranian who visits patients and families at Alive Hospice Residence Nashville each week. Charlie and human pal Sharon Collins have been Alive Hospice volunteers for nearly 10 years. See more of Alive Hospice’s pet therapy friends here.

Have you considered volunteering with Alive Hospice? Pet therapy is only one of many kinds of volunteer opportunities at Alive Hospice. Click here for more information, or contact our Volunteer Services staff at 615-327-1085 or via e-mail.

Ruth Williams

A “tune-up” may be necessary every now and then. Stresses tend to accumulate at times. When one area of your life seems to be smoothing out, another may knock you down. When grief is in the middle of it all, it may seem like simply too much to bear. That’s very understandable.

Alive Hospice’s grief counselors offer both individual counseling and quarterly support groups. Many folks take advantage of both services. Grief is not “one size fits all.”

Sometimes what works is to have a few individual sessions, then move into a group. Some folks may attend a group, then come in for a counseling session or two. Many individuals may benefit from a handful of counseling sessions while others need a weekly visit to a grief counselor for a year or more.

Often folks do quite well for a time then need a “tune-up.” No matter how much counseling one receives, it’s very possible (and even likely) to hit a bump in the road. When this happens, it’s okay to come in and have a session or two to get systems back in working order!

All of us grief counselors probably hear ourselves say repeatedly, “Grief is individual. There’s no right way or wrong way to grieve.” And there’s no particular time frame that works for everyone either. Since difficult things in life may come up in non-grief-related areas, what feels like a good period can quickly change into an “I can’t handle any more” kind of period.

There’s no need for an apology for needing some help along the route to healing from the loss of a loved one. It’s a wonderful opportunity to allow others to reach out to you, when you have probably lent a hand when others are having a difficult time. We’re all in this life thing together!

Having a relationship with a grief counselor is a great opportunity to pick up the phone and say, “Can I come in for a session or two?” Of course. That’s why we’re here. And you may be amazed. Whereas you may have come in for 6-8 sessions before, this time 1-2 might suffice. And if you need more, it’s absolutely no problem.

We’re here to help.

Ruth Williams is a counselor with Alive Grief Support Services, the bereavement support program of Alive Hospice. To reach Alive Grief Support Services, call 615-963-4732 or click here.

Janny Adkins

In nursing, we know first impressions are vital. The Alive Hospice admission nurse is one of the first members of the team of that provides care for our patients and families. Because the admission nurse is the first member of the team to arrive, her or his face is the face of Alive Hospice. They set the expectations, the tone, and experience the patient and family will use to form their perception of Alive Hospice. 

They personify nursing expertise liberally laced with caring, compassion, and love. 

The admission nurse plays a very important role by helping the patient and/or family with their immediate needs, often in a crisis situation whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Unmanaged pain or difficulty with breathing are only two of several crisis symptoms that prompt families to call to enroll their loved ones with Alive Hospice. Sadly, because there is so much misunderstanding about hospice, patients and their families often delay calling. They fear that a call to hospice signals “the end.” In reality, research indicates that patients can often live longer and more comfortably if they enroll in hospice earlier.

When the admission nurse arrives, he or she must quickly and efficiently assess the situation and implement a plan that will alleviate anxiety and confusion and increase comfort. The admission nurse must be attuned to psychological and spiritual issues that may arise during the admission process, then mobilize the rest of the team to jump into action using his or her observations and interventions.

Many people call them angels. When patients and families meet the rest of the Alive Hospice team they again use “angel” to describe the professional expertise and compassion they experience.

Janny Adkins is an Alive Hospice account executive who informs health care professionals, patients, and families about hospice care.