Family Hospice Care

Pre-Planning and Care Guide

In the twenty years since this book was first published, hundreds of thousands of patients, family members, professional and volunteer care providers have learned the basic fundamentals of providing physical, emotional, spiritual and information supports.

People need to relatively pain free and alert for as long as they can. The hospice philosophy of care is about living life to its fullest before you die. That is not what typically happens for people near the end of their lives. Their physical pain is often not controlled well. That is inexcusable. No one need suffer unbearable pain. No one.

Many people hope that their last weeks and months will be filled with compassionate medical support, well-informed and caring family and friends, and information on how to live life fully. That is what excellent hospice care is all about. That is what Family Hospice Care is all about.

Harry van Bommel helped his mother, father and grandfather to live at home until they died. He has helped countless others through his writing, speaking, teaching and one-to-one support turn an end-of-life experience into something to be treasured rather than feared. His detailed suggestions help people take some control of the roller coaster ride of emotions, feelings and experiences. 

The journey at the end-of-life will have moments of frustration, anger, tears, despair and overwhelming fear. That is too often the only experiences people have. Family Hospice Care is a tool that helps you minimize these negative experiences while providing specific ideas so that you can also experience profound moments of love, laughter, joy, retelling of stories, bonding with family and friends and care providers. Like birth, death can be an incredible opportunity to review your own life and its direction and find out the wisdom of all ages: it is our relationships with others that matter most at these times. Living fully until you die provides an opportunity to nurture those relationships to an even greater degree.

When family and friends cannot care for someone, other people including hospice volunteers and neighbors can be immensely helpful. People need never die alone and uncared for. Hospice care is all about making sure that everyone involved in someone's last days, weeks and months participates in a profound experience that truly becomes a memorable, life-defining one.

20th Anniversay Edition, 320 pages, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 inches, ISBN 1-55307-021-6, $25 ebook, $30 paperback

Testimonials

"Family Hospice Care" offers solid information not only about the "what and how to", but in the true spirit of Hospice it offers insightful reflections on "whole person care". I believe that what this book offers families and patients is empowerment and control. - Gayle Dunsmuir, Coordinator, 100 Mile District Hospice/Palliative Care Society

Our philosophy is to empower family members, patients, caregivers and friends by providing information and education so they can provide better care and have better quality of life. These books will be valued by many - people can make more informed choices - how better still to provide care. They will ultimately make this difficult time a more meaningful experience for everyone. Thank you for such a valuable contribution to hospice/ palliative care! - Nancy Macey, Executive Director, Delta Hospice Society 

Family Hospice Care will be a great resource for family caregivers as it answers their many questions and addresses their fears. We often speak to people about these issues but they cannot relay the information to other family members, so having the book to share is very helpful. - Donalda Carson, Executive Director, Prince George Hospice Society

Many of our clients and their families will benefit from the information provided in "Family Hospice Care". There is a need for practical, easily understood information for families experiencing a life-threatening illness and this book has proven to be very helpful. - Meredith Wild, Palliative Care Coordinator, West View Regional Health Authority, Hinton, AB

I have read the book and feel it has excellent information for so many who work for the patient. There is a lot of good information for the family as well. - Marion Cook, Palliative Care Coordinator, Ashern Community Health Office

"Family Hospice Care" is a wonderful resource, not only for the families we serve but also for our volunteers. The content is practical and comprehensive and will certainly be a valued, added support. - Patricia Vernooy, President, Palliative Care Services of Greater Fort Erie

Wonderful resource for caregivers. I thank you. Very informative; excellent resource. - Dr. Sol Stern M.D., Chairman Palliative Care HHSC, Medical Advisor Web of Care.com

One of the keys to empowering clients and their caregivers is to offer information which they can understand and put into practice. Having this book in hand is comparable to new mothers having "Dr. Spock's " baby books at hand in the 60's - it offers good basic advice and reassurance that clients and caregivers can cope. - Marg Hogben, Executive Director, Hospice Dufferin

Excellent book! It covers very pertinent information for families as well as giving extra clear directions for both families and professionals in the health care field. Congratulations! Thank you! - Lucie Savoie, R.N., Client Service Coordinator, Sudbury Regional Palliative Care Association

This is a very practical book. The information is easy to read, short and concise. The layout of the book allows the family/patient/volunteer to easily access the information pertinent to them as they read it. - Sherry Loveridge, RN, Coordinator Palliative Care Volunteer Visiting, VON