Caring Edge Hospice celebrates Hospice Awareness Month

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - Hospice Awareness Month is a time to recognize the importance of hospice and hospice workers in our community.

“People think when you join hospice that you’re giving up on life, and its actually the complete opposite, when you choose to come onto hospice services you’re wanting to fight for the best quality of life for the very end,” said Steven Frausto, administrator at Caring Edge Hospice.

Hospice workers stand alongside their patients as they fight. “What we see statistically is that people tend to live about two months longer on hospice, and so you are fighting at the very end and we want to help you in that process,” said Frausto.

Caring Edge Hospice just celebrated their 1 year anniversary in Cheyenne. “What really sets us apart from other hospices is we believe more in a personal approach, so our company is founded on Christian values, and so we like to take those Christian values and apply them to our daily tasks with the individual and their family, and so one of the ways we do that is each individual has their own personal nurse, CNA, as well as a chaplain and a social worker,” said Frausto.

Caring Edge is proud of the familial community they have created within their services. “We stay in contact months, even a year afterwards, just building those relationships and checking in on them, see them at Walmart, have fun, it just becomes a family is what really separates us apart from other hospice places,” said Frausto.

There are many misconceptions about hospice, but it’s all about ensuring quality of life. “A lot of people feel like they have to stop their medications and discontinue those daily living activities, but in reality we’re there to help manage your symptoms so that you can continue to do the things that you love and enjoy,” said Amy Torres, Director of Nursing at Caring Edge.

It can be a challenging time, but help is always there. “We know living in Wyoming we tend to be rough and tough, and asking for help might not be our first go to, but when we all reach the end of our life there’s just certain things that happen in life that become cumbersome or overwhelming, so we tend to not be able to balance our personal life and our love and attention towards other people. So allowing a team like ours to come alongside of you and help with those overwhelming tasks such as bathing, chores around the house, whatever it may be, we’re able to come and help with that so you’re able to spend time with the individual who is nearing the end of their life, and create those memories that can last for generations.”

For more information about Caring Edge, visit their website or call (307) 757 - 0496.

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