The An Cala Palliative Care Unit offers whole family support

“My mom, Edith, was living in a nursing home when we found out she had an intestinal blockage.  It was deemed inoperable and within a very short time she became palliative.

As a Psychologist, I have helped people deal with the loss of a loved one. But it’s different when it hits you. Dealing with the fact that my mom was going to die was an incredible struggle.

Throughout my mother’s stay in the Palliative Care Unit, the nurses and Dr. Ritter did everything possible to make my mom, my family and I feel comforted, cared for and supported.

If we had questions, we immediately got answers. It was as if life stopped for them until we were taken care of. Over my mother’s month-long stay in the Palliative Care Unit, not once did I feel discouraged or helpless.

Because we were close to home, I could visit her three times a day. Sleeping in my own bed and spending time with family is what gave me the strength to be there for her.

Disease is unsettling enough. We shouldn’t have to worry about the stresses of unfamiliar settings—it was tough enough to say goodbye.”

-Garth Nathanson