Becky Cooper, RN

Many people may be surprised that the modern hospice movement is just over 50 years old. Certainly, people have been dying with dignity for thousands of years, but increasing interest in palliative care has provided new options and more modern…

Photo by Bambi Corro on Unsplash According to the Alzheimer’s Association, about 6 million Americans currently have this form of dementia. It’s also a figure that is expected to grow dramatically in the next few decades, which means that more…

GLady / Pixabay One of the more frightening forms of cancer around today is pancreatic cancer. Many residents of Manchester and elsewhere who are diagnosed with it may die within weeks or months, and even those who don’t may need…

BookBabe / Pixabay Cheers to our veterans, including those living in Dubuque and elsewhere! Whatever capacity, era, or branch they were part of, they deserve thanks, especially those currently receiving hospice care. And whether they served for four years, made…

ivaylost / Pixabay If you have a senior in your life, you likely have observed that their appetite has changed from what it was in the past, usually being much smaller. Generally, our body and brain tell us when we…

Image by Jake Heckey from Pixabay If you’re new to the hospice experience, there’s a lot to learn, whether you’re a client or a supporter/loved one of a client in the Cedar Rapids area and elsewhere. One misconception is that…

Image by IADE-Michoko from Pixabay The ultimate goal of a hospice program is to provide end-of-life care services and make sure each client is as comfortable as possible in their final days, which may be days, weeks, or months. This approach…

klimkin / Pixabay Someone moving into hospice care for the first time will likely have all sorts of questions since it can be a confusing, unexpected process for many residents of Dubuque and elsewhere. Luckily, a big part of the…

geralt / Pixabay Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that could affect just about anyone but is especially common in seniors. Many residents of Mount Vernon and elsewhere are dealing with atrial fibrillation, which is the most common type of…

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash People in hospice care are in unique situations, medically. Yes, they have some sort of terminal condition and a fairly finite estimate of how much time they have left to spend time with loved…