Doctors are often the first people who discuss hospice care with a terminally ill patient. While this conversation is a difficult one to have, it also provides relief. Knowing they have options helps a patient to better cope with all that is ahead and empowers them to continue to play an active role in their Read More

A common question many family members of hospice care patients have is how long their loved one has left. There is no definitive answer to this. Just as your loved one is unique, so is their condition. How they are being treated and how their body and mind respond to their health care, emotional care, Read More

As a family caregiver for a loved one with a serious medical condition, there is a good chance your doctor has mentioned hospice care. Understandably, simply hearing the word “hospice” is probably unsettling. You might view it as your doctor giving up or begin to think that your loved one is far too close to Read More

Hearing a doctor say that a loved one is being referred to hospice is sometimes difficult. People often believe this means that the doctor is giving up or there is no hope. Oftentimes, it is helpful to understand why this referral is being made and how it benefits the patient and family. Salus Homecare San Read More

“I wish we had asked about hospice sooner.” Salus Homecare San Diego often hears this after a senior makes the difficult decision to enter hospice care. The idea of enlisting the help of a hospice provider is sometimes associated with “giving up” or even facing death. That is the primary reason why some people wait Read More

For much of the country, spring is slow to arrive this year. Here in San Diego, however, windows are starting to open and people are planting their gardens and spending more time outdoors. Another thing that commonly takes place this time of year is springtime cleaning. In addition to dusting the baseboards and washing the Read More

As a loved one moves through their final stage in life, your support matters perhaps more than it ever has. However, it is sometimes difficult to understand how to best help your loved one and cope with your own emotions and experience. Sometimes it feels easier to simply ignore the reality you are currently facing Read More

Caring for an aging loved one is always challenging in some ways. However, it is perhaps even more difficult when the person is declining slowly or needs an increasing amount of support simply because they are getting older. This type of caregiving leaves the door open to plenty of questions. There are also some unknowns Read More

As with most years, you probably started 2018 with a resolution. We are about a month in now, so ask yourself, how is it going? Now think back further. Do you remember your resolution from 2017? How about 2016 or the year before that? Did you keep them? Were your goals met? If not, take Read More

As a loved one nears the end of life, and the decision is made that curative treatments are no longer the best course of action, many choose hospice care. This is an approach that centers on addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs. It empowers a person to spend their final days, weeks or months away Read More

In our global community, families often live miles away from their loved ones. Visits are sometimes infrequent. Time for writing letters or making phone calls is more limited than we would like. For many of us, technology provides a viable solution to this problem. Texts, emails, short video chats and social media offer a way Read More

Herpes zoster, or shingles, is a painful condition that people of all ages can develop. It attacks the nerves and surrounding tissues in the body. It is caused by the chickenpox reactivating within the body. Anyone who has recovered from the chickenpox at some point in their life or has had the chickenpox vaccination can Read More

Many changes take place throughout the aging process. These are sometimes the result of a diagnosis such as Alzheimer’s. At other times, they develop after an acute illness, surgery or other hospitalization changes a senior’s capabilities when it comes to managing daily needs. This is typically the time when families first start discussing the senior’s Read More