Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, New Year’s—the holiday season is upon us, a time to practice gratitude for all that is good in our lives and recognize that difficult times often go together with the good.
Jean Bach of Pequot Lakes is grateful for the Home Care and Hospice staff who helped her through her husband’s illness and eventual death last year. She contacted Cuyuna Regional Medical Center for assistance when the care her husband Leroy needed was more than she could provide.
“I was relieved,” Jean recently said of the services. “I did not know what to do or how to take care of him.” She explained how the staff taught her how to act and stay calm as she could and said they also encouraged her to take care of herself and call them if there was anything she could not handle.
A former sportsman and gardener, Leroy was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Type 2 Diabetes and needed more professional caregiving than Jean could provide. “He was suffering for some time before he saw a doctor,” Jean recalled. “He did not believe in doctors but once he went, he wanted to see the doctor all the time.”
With the help of CRMC Home Care and Hospice, Jean was able to focus less on medical care and more on togetherness during the last days with her husband of 57 years. “I don’t know what I would have done without them—they immediately brought relief,” reducing my caregiving load and were incredibly informative.
Jean said Nurse Tim Schirmers was particularly amazing and having him care for Leroy was a blessing. She says she watched in awe as Tim so skillfully cared for Leroy, always treating him with dignity, respect, and kindness. She also appreciated him periodically calling her to see how things were going and checking if she needed anything.
“Tim is a compassionate, amazing person,” Jean said. “We appreciate how he recognized what was needed to make Leroy’s last days easier. We would have been lost without him. He visited our home every week to check on Leroy and see how he was doing. He administered medications and took Leroy’s vitals.”
CRMC’s Chaplain Mark Henson and Social Worker Kim Olesen were also super comforting and prepared me for what was to come, Jean said. They spent time talking with her and Leroy and made them feel supported and cared for. Jean said just their presence and knowing they had a shoulder to cry on was comforting.
Jean is also grateful for her two sons and their wives next door who helped as well as her daughter who helped guide her.
After utilizing home care services for about six months, the time came for Leroy to transition to hospice care. Jean especially appreciated the thoughtful and dedicated staff’s quick response to her calls and said they exceeded her expectations. “We would have been overwhelmed and not able to care for Leroy at the level provided with hospice as our partner.”
“Our family is grateful for the loving care, kindness, and concern for and to my husband and our family. Their attention and anticipation of Leroy’s need greatly assisted his peaceful transition and gave comfort to all of us,” Jean said. “Through every interaction, our family was comforted by the presence of a professional. It comforted us to know that my husband was well cared for in his final days. CRMC Hospice performs at such a high level.”
Sadly, Leroy passed away in the summer of 2022 surrounded by Jean and their two sons. Their daughter was on her way from Alaska, but he passed quickly, and she was not able to make it in time. “We were able to say our goodbyes and it was very peaceful.”
Jean says after Leroy passed, she called Tim and that he arrived at their home so fast he must have been at the end of the driveway. “Before I hung up the phone, he was here and took care of everything.”
Now Jean frequently visits Leroy, who also served in the U.S. Army, at the Fort Ripley cemetery.
“I would recommend CRMC Hospice to anyone who needs assistance with a loved one,” Jean said. “They made such a huge difference as we tried to navigate difficult circumstances. We are truly grateful for CRMC.”