How to Say Goodbye to Your Senior Loved One

Life is full of challenges, and one of the most difficult things to do is to say goodbye to a loved one. Here is some advice from the team at our hospice in South Jersey to help support you and your loved one during this emotional time.

• Feel grateful for the opportunity: Many people don’t get the opportunity to properly say goodbye to a loved one, so it’s important to remember this and make the most of this opportunity to share time together, even though it’s difficult. No one wants to say goodbye and it’s hard to know what to say, but it’s an opportunity to say the important things to each other to give you both peace.

• Be honest and open: Often, terminal patients feel the additional strain of having to be strong for their family and friends. Instead, be honest and open with your loved one and acknowledge the truth of what they are going through. Don’t feel pressured to bring up the subject directly but be open to listening if they want to talk about it – and don’t tell them they’ll get better soon.

• Laugh together: Saying goodbye is a chance not only to tell someone you love them and will miss them, it’s also a good chance to relive your best memories together. Don’t feel like you have to stay somber and sad – if you heard a funny story that morning you know your loved one would laugh at, tell them all about it. Remind them of all the good times you had together, and it will lift your hearts and spirits.
• Reassure your loved one: Your loved one may express concerns about everyone they are leaving behind, whether it’s about a family argument that they would like to see resolved, or difficulties other loved ones are going through. Even if you have doubts, now is the right time to reassure them. You don’t have to lie, but it’s important to tell your loved one that everyone will be okay, that you’ll do what you can to help, and that you’ll all support each other.
• Talk to your hospice team: It’s normal to feel unprepared for a loved one’s final days and hours, but our hospice team is there to answer your questions and support you as well as your loved one. We can help you prepare for this time emotionally and spiritually as well as practically, helping you to plan a peaceful and comforting farewell for your loved one.

Compassionate End-Of-Life Care Services and Support from Our Hospice in South Jersey

At The Shores, a part of the well-known United Methodist Communities non-profit organization in New Jersey, we offer compassionate, professional hospice care in the Jersey Shore are called Bridges. In this program, we focus on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for patients and their loved ones through customized care programs and compassionate support. To find out more about our hospice in Cape May County, please visit our website at https://umcommunities.org/theshores/hospice-care-nj/ or contact us today and organize your visit.