Nola thought she was prepared.
With her background in nursing, Nola was no stranger to caring for others or making tough decisions. She had spent years taking care of her family. So when her husband, Gene, began to decline, she believed she could handle whatever came next.
But then, everything changed quickly.
Gene was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Just a few months later, the couple received another blow: he had advanced pancreatic cancer. Despite the seriousness of his diagnosis, Gene wasn’t in pain. That absence made everything more confusing. How ill was he, really? When was it time to consider hospice? And what would hospice mean for their family?
I didn’t know when I needed hospice, your mind gets a little numb. You’re just thinking about what’s right in front of you.
It was Nola’s daughter who first opened the door to services through CaringEdge and our sister company, All Care. After the family reached out about hospice services, Whitney Rath-Wald, CaringEdge’s licensed social worker and director of social services, visited the next morning.
Nola wasn’t looking for someone to take over. She wanted clarity. She needed to understand what was happening and what Gene might need next. Sitting together in the couple’s sunroom, Whitney was struck by Nola’s dedication.
Through that conversation, Nola discovered that hospice also meant education: understanding changing needs, knowing when to call for help, and learning how to care for herself along the way.
The team focused on Gene’s comfort and quality of life while giving Nola guidance and reassurance. She could continue caring for her husband with people to turn to as his needs changed.
She was invested in learning about hospice and the role she was going to play, eager to ensure she had the tools to give her husband the very best quality in the last journey of his life.
One of Nola’s most vivid memories is the “survival kit”: a tote filled with supplies to help her care for Gene. The team also helped with medications and equipment, including a walker, wheelchair, shower chair, and bathroom aids. But the most valuable support wasn’t in the tote.
It was the knowledge and guidance the team provided. Jillissa Vollmer, RN, BSN, served as their main hospice nurse. As two nurses working together, Nola and Jillissa developed a relationship built on mutual respect.
Rachel Keegan, RN, a nurse with CaringEdge, taught Nola how to safely administer Gene’s medications as his needs changed. “That was a godsend,” Nola says of learning to give Gene his medication when he could no longer swallow.
The team wasn’t at the bedside around the clock, but help was a phone call away when something changed or Nola had questions. That reassurance meant everything.
She had it all in her, she is a caregiver and nurse by trade, but Nola taught me things as I took care of him, too!
As Gene grew weaker, all four of the couple’s children came to be with them. With CaringEdge helping manage his care, Nola had more room to focus on being a wife and mother. She made sure family was present, music was playing, and Gene’s choices were honored. That included a DQ Blizzard multiple times a day whenever he asked for one.
“When I think of Gene and Nola, I immediately think of love,” Jillissa says.
On the piano in their sunroom sat a song Gene had written especially for his wife. It was titled Nola.
Even when Gene became bedbound, joy remained part of the home. Jillissa remembers visiting to find Nola and all four children giggling so hard they were crying as they watched funny videos and shared “Gene mannerisms.” When Gene passed away in the early hours of the morning, Nola called CaringEdge. A nurse arrived within half an hour to help prepare his body. Nola chose to help with that difficult but deeply meaningful act.
Looking back, Nola wishes she had known more about hospice sooner. Even with her nursing experience, she hesitated, unsure when to ask for help.
Her advice to other families is clear:
“Run, don’t walk, and don’t wait.”
For Nola and her family, that first conversation made a hard season a little easier. It gave her people to call, answers to difficult questions, and support that helped her care for the person she loved.
One of the biggest misconceptions families have is that hospice means we come in, medicate someone, and they die, They live! They live out their final moments with their loved ones in the comfort of their own home.
That Same Approach, Here at All Care
The guidance and reassurance Nola found through CaringEdge reflect the approach we bring to hospice care at All Care. We pride ourselves on getting to know each person, understanding their wishes, and helping families feel supported as needs change.
That starts with listening. What makes your loved one comfortable? What matters most to them? What do you feel unsure about as a caregiver? Those answers help shape a personal plan of care.
All Care’s hospice services bring nursing care and symptom management to wherever someone calls home, including a senior living community. Depending on the care plan, support may include medications related to terminal illness, equipment, supplies, and help with personal care. Our team teaches caregivers what to watch for and how to help between visits, with phone support available day and night.
Social workers help families navigate practical concerns and emotional needs, while chaplains offer spiritual support based on each person’s preferences. Together, the team helps families spend more of their precious time focused on one another.
If you’re wondering whether hospice could help your family, contact All Care at info@myallcare.net.
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