Hospice gives daughter "a team of support I desperately needed"

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, a time to recognize how the right support can bring comfort and clarity during a difficult period. WesleyLife Hospice centers its services on choice and dignity, helping each person live as fully and comfortably as possible, surrounded by the people and experiences that matter.

Choosing hospice is not stepping back — it’s focusing forward on what’s meaningful. Our team provides clinical expertise, emotional encouragement, and spiritual guidance so families can feel supported, informed, and able to be present with one another in a more natural way.

Families often share that hospice changes more than their loved one’s experience. It changes their experience, too, helping them step out of constant worry so they can return to being a daughter, son, spouse or friend. The letter below, shared by Vickie Carson-Liston in honor of her mother, a WesleyLife Hospice client, reflects that shift with sincerity and love.

When we were approved for WesleyLife Hospice services, it was such a godsend. Not only did Mom gain people who understood what she needed and provided the tools to care for her properly, but I gained a team of support I desperately needed. As an only child, I was stopping by her apartment morning, noon and night — and then again to help her get ready for bed, offering a small prayer that she would be safe through the night. I was exhausted and watching my mom slip away from me.

We truly thought we were going to lose her last December, but when Laura and her team started coming, Mom perked up and even looked forward to their visits. They took over her showers, fixed her hair, painted her fingernails — anything we needed, they provided.

A semi-private room became available at Park Centre in January, and Anna advocated for Mom. We were blessed to receive it. Along with the Park Centre team and Hospice, Mom continued to live a quality life, even celebrating her 98th birthday in July, until dementia took a strong hold in her last few months. The communication was impeccable and so appreciated. Between the Hospice program (Dr. Edwards, Anna, Laura, their chaplain and the team at Park Centre), I was able to become her daughter again — not an exhausted caregiver with little knowledge of what I was doing. I was able to rest knowing she was in good hands and under watchful eyes until her death at age 98, when she went to rest in the presence of Jesus.

I would recommend WesleyLife Hospice services to anyone who needs assistance caring for a loved one. As Dr. Edwards once told me, “We’re the best!” And he was right.

Vickie Carson-Liston
Daughter of Mary “Jane” Firkins — Best Mom Ever!

If someone you love is facing a life-limiting diagnosis, the WesleyLife Hospice team is here to help with clarity, compassion and respect for your wishes. Learn more at wesleylife.org/hospice.

For those who feel moved to support this work, WesleyLife Foundation helps create moments of meaning through programs such as Wesley Wishes, which offers personalized experiences that bring comfort and joy to clients in hospice care. These gestures — a special outing, a favorite activity, a connection that lifts the spirit — are made possible through donor support. To contribute, visit wesleylife.org/foundation.