A Year Later: Remembering My Grandma and Her Hospice Journey
I can still feel the warmth of her hug — the one that came with a gleeful, “There’s my Allie!” — tight, familiar, and completely full of love. It’s not something I ever thought I’d miss, but now it plays in my mind every time I walk into my grandpa’s house, a reminder of a presence that’s no longer here.
Allison’s Grandma, Vera, before she was diagnosed with dementia.
Like many family members across Kansas City feel when their loved one is admitted, I was relieved when my grandma entered hospice care in June 2024. She’d been living with dementia and COPD for years and I knew from my work on the Communications team at Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care – this was what she needed.
She wasn’t at death’s door, which made it difficult to explain to my grandpa and mom why her care plan needed to change, but I knew hospice would bring comfort, stability, and support. Trips to the emergency room would end, and a nurse would always be just a phone call away.
And So It Began
From the start, her hospice team treated her with the kind of attention that felt like family. Nurses and aides were gentle and present. Volunteers came to sit with her during the few times my aunt had to work at the same time my mom had to take my grandpa to the doctor. Those small visits, brief as they seemed, were everything. They gave us the ability to breathe and to care for her without losing ourselves in the process.
When she fell on Thanksgiving, the hospice team guided us through the next steps with unwavering calm. We brought her to Kansas City Hospice HouseTM for respite care, not knowing this short stay would become her final chapter. Surrounded by love and attentive care, she died about 10 days later.
Present in the Moment
In those final days, something shifted. For the first time in months, we could simply be her family. We shared stories, laughter, and quiet moments of goodbye without the constant juggling
Allison with her grandparents, Vera and Rex, during the time Vera was on hospice services with Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care.
of medications or safety concerns. Hospice gave us that rare gift: the ability to just be present.
Her journey revealed the true depth of hospice care.
It’s for the last few days of life – and so much more. It’s a network of support, starting months in advance, lifting the burden from both the patient and their family. Every nurse, aide, social worker, chaplain and volunteer who entered our lives wrapped us in care.
It’s been a year since she died, and I still feel her absence. But I also carry the peace hospice allowed us to experience. The sadness is softened by the dignity, love, and meaningful moments we shared. Hospice doesn’t take away loss, but it gave us the gift of presence, compassion, and time — time I will forever hold close. For that, and for the incredible care shown to my grandma and our family, I’ll always be grateful.
By: Allison Apple, Donor Specialist, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care
