PHOTOS: George Guyer Memorial Hospice Remembrance Walk

Written by Kristin Carllo

In 2011, George Guyer was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, the second most common type of leukemia in adults. George was a loving family man who would help anyone and who was always strong in both character and ability. George was my dad, and watching him become weaker and weaker was so hard.

Hospice enabled us to care for dad at home. We all felt a connection to the nurses and aides. They supported him as a whole person – physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Hospice treats the person -- not the disease. Hospice staff cared for my dad with compassion and dignity, and they also cared for my family!

Since 1908, Home & Community Health Services, Inc. (H&CHS), formerly the Enfield Visiting Nurse Association, has provided home health and hospice care to residents of north central Connecticut. This not-for-profit agency is committed to providing care that maximizes the health, independence and quality of life enjoyed by residents of these communities. Home health care services are appropriate for those coping with illness, those recently hospitalized due to illness and those who require additional help to live safely at home. Hospice care focuses on the patient and their loved ones, emphasizing the quality of life and enabling most patients to stay in the comfort of their home.

As a result of this personal experience, I am now a Hospice volunteer for Home & Community Health Services and I coordinated the agency’s First Annual George Guyer Memorial Hospice Remembrance Walk at Asnuntuck Community College on May 5, 2013.