Whenever you have a friend or family member in hospice, it can be difficult to know what to say. You want to tell your loved one how much they mean to you and how much you will miss them, but don’t know how to say it. A loss for words is a problem many people run into, as it’s challenging to address the end of someone’s life.
One way to express how you feel is through card or letter writing for your loved one. Many get writer’s block trying to figure out what to write someone in hospice. However, we should see writing to our loved ones is an opportunity for us to give them a sincere and authentic memento.
Need some help figuring out what to write to someone in hospice? Keep reading for some inspiration in your card-writing endeavors.
The most important part of writing to a loved one is affirming them that you care about them. We may assume that our loved ones know how we feel about them, but most people need to hear it from us, whether through spoken or written words.
This is where card writing comes into play. A card or hand-written letter can affirm our loved ones as they enter the final stage of their lives.
You may wonder if your loved one will appreciate a card. After all, who hand-writes anything anymore? However, greeting cards and letters are still a powerful way to show someone you care about them.
Unlike purchased gifts, what you write on a greeting card is one-of-a-kind. A card to a loved one in hospice is a way for you to express how much you care for them and how thankful you are that they were a part of your life.
Verbal exchanges are always crucial, but a card can sit at your loved one’s bedside or in their room for weeks or months, allowing them to read it several times if they wish.
Whenever you write down your emotions about your loved one’s terminal status, you have a chance to pause and reflect. While this doesn’t take the place of emotional support and counseling, it can be a small way to work through how you feel.
If you have strong artistic or design skills, you can incorporate them into a card or note. This will not only give your card unique flair, but it will also show your loved one the time and effort you put into this gesture.
While there isn’t a single formula for writing a card for a loved one in hospice, there are a few common messages that are good to give to your loved one.
Love and care are the most common themes of letters to loved ones in hospice, but that doesn’t make it any less accurate. Telling your friend or family member you love and care about them is the most important message you can give them in their final days.
Telling your loved one that you are thankful for their presence in your life can show them how much you appreciated everything they did for you. You can be as general or specific as you like. Sometimes particular examples of their kindness or generosity can be a nice sentiment to share.
Legacy is important to many when they are about to pass away. It’s comforting to know that we impacted the world and that our lives were meaningful. Tell your loved one about the impact that they had on you and others. Write about traditions that you plan to carry on in their honor.
Many people worry about those they will leave behind whenever they pass away at the end of their lives. Taking a small space in your written message to tell your loved one that someone will take care of their friends and family can give them peace and comfort.
The key to writing a meaningful card or letter is understanding how they handle hospice and how to reflect your relationship in the message. If they are a serious person, keep the card straightforward. If they are fun-loving and lighthearted, inject some humor into your message.
The point is that your message’s content should reflect your relationship and how they are handling their final days in hospice.
After all of the advice on what to write to someone in hospice, here is the biggest thing that you should avoid saying: “Get well soon.”
While choosing hospice care isn’t giving up, your loved one is no longer using curative treatments to combat their illness. Saying “get well soon” may imply that you think they are making the wrong decision by choosing hospice care.
A card can encourage and uplift your loved one in hospice care. Remember, your written message doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to be authentic to you and your relationship with the loved one.
If you’re looking for excellent staff to offer your loved one peace and comfort in their final days, contact us at Crown Hospice ofCape Girardeau or Crown Hospice of Poplar Bluff today.