Starting with Palliative Care

John’s wife, Wendy, bravely fought a long battle with cancer. As he cared for her and her symptoms became more serious, Four Seasons Palliative Care stepped in to not only help Wendy, but also to provide care for John.

“Our provider was Nicole and she was excellent. She wanted to know how I was doing…she always made a point of that. She gave me suggestions of ways that I could make things easier on myself and Wendy,” John said.

Hospice Care at Elizabeth House

As Wendy’s condition progressed, another Palliative Care provider, Natalie, sat down with John to discuss moving her to Elizabeth House.

“Peace and tranquility. That is what I experienced when I walked through the doors of Elizabeth House for the first time. And I knew it was exactly where my wife, Wendy, needed to be.

My wife had been sick for many years, and she often didn’t feel a sense of control over her illness or treatment. That all changed when we arrived at Elizabeth House. For the first time, Wendy was dictating what she wanted and needed. In her last six days of life, she was in control.

For the first time in many years, I didn’t have to be her caregiver. I was able to simply be her husband again, to hold her hand, rub her arm, and read her a book. It is hard to do all of that as a caregiver but as her husband at Elizabeth House, I was there all day long just to be with my wife. And in her last days, I fell in love with my wife again.

I am forever grateful for the love, support, and care that the staff showed my wife and me. They gave her dignity. They gave me quality time to spend with her.”

Taking Care of John Through Grief

After Wendy passed, John began our Grief Services program where Jessica helped him to move forward.

“I was in a class of about 8 or 10 people, and we had good cries. We talked about our loved ones. It was really helpful,” John said.

“Jessica was wonderful. She helped with tips and resources to kind of deal with the day to day and, you know, I think it was one of those things where if I hadn’t had that to start the journey, then I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Finding Ways to Give Back

Going through grief care, John realized he wanted to do more. He started to learn about our Foundation and asked Stephanie and Palma how he might help. Many of our family members go on to serve as volunteers, support Four Seasons as a donor, or as a Home Store patron.

“We’re very fortunate in this area to have a group of people who are concerned about what they’re doing, have a real heart for the job, and want to see Four Seasons do not only do what they’re doing, but to grow, to expand, offer more services, and provide things that a growing area needs.

The Four Seasons Foundation stands in the gap so that services are provided to everyone.”

Thank you to our community who support care for neighbors like John and Wendy. Because of your supports, our community is able experience respect, comfort and a sense of dignity in the final chapter of life. If you would like to make a gift, click here.