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For Patients and Families Living with Serious Illness
"Dad is needing a lot of help, and Mom is exhausted. I try to pitch in, but I don't always know what to do or say. I need a place to find out basic information, like how to keep Dad comfortable or what to do when he doesn't want to eat. I'm not sure what we need to do legally to get things in order. And sometimes I just need help understanding my own emotions... I know there are programs available for families in our situation. I'm just not sure how to find them."
Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you've come to the right place! We have created this website as a family caregiver resource, to help the seriously ill and their families learn how to live as comfortably as they can within the context of their disease. Whether you need tips on handling the medical and physical aspects of care (e.g., pain management, nutrition and eating), are concerned about emotional or spiritual issues (e.g., grief, hope, family conflict), or simply want to know about important legal and financial decisions, seriousillness.org/huron is the place to turn. We even have a listing of local, state, and national programs that offer services and support.
It's true. Caring for an ailing family member can be one of the saddest and most difficult experiences in a family's history together. Yet, it can also be one of a family's most fulfilling, meaningful, and intimate experiences. A lot of love, and even laughter, can be shared as the patient and family learn to live fully now while preparing for tomorrow. It's a balancing act, to be sure. But with education and support, you can enhance the quality of all the time you have left together, whether it's years, months, weeks, or days.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call us at 605-353-6520 or toll free from within South Dakota at 800-529-0115. Or you can email us at info@huronregional.org. We'd be honored to help!