http://www.highdeserthospice.care/

High Desert Hospice, 8920 Adams NE, Suite B, Albuquerque, NM (2026)

09/19/2026

🌿 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙-𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗬

Here's a very unglamorous piece of caregiver self-care:

EAT SOMETHING.

Not after everyone else's needs have been met.

Not when it's suddenly 4:30 PM and you realize coffee was breakfast.

Not standing over the sink finishing three bites of someone else's sandwich.

Caregiving can disrupt even the most basic routines.

So instead of aiming for perfectly balanced meals during a demanding season, make nourishment easier to reach.

Create a caregiver shelf or basket with things you'll actually eat:

🥜 Nuts or trail mix
🧀 Cheese and crackers
🍌 Easy fruit
🥚 Hard-boiled eggs
🥪 Sandwich ingredients
🥣 Yogurt
🥤 A filled water bottle
🍲 Individual portions of leftovers or soup

Ask someone who keeps saying “What can I bring?” to restock it.

And when someone brings dinner?

Accept the dinner.

Self-care doesn't always look like taking time away.

Sometimes it looks like making sure the person doing the caring has eaten lunch.

That counts. 💛

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/18/2026

❓ 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗙𝗔𝗤: 𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴?

No - and this is important for families to understand before hospice begins.

Hospice provides an interdisciplinary team that may include nurses, hospice aides, physicians, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, and other support based on the patient's individualized plan of care.

But hospice generally does not provide continuous bedside caregiving around the clock.

For patients receiving routine hospice care at home, much of the day-to-day caregiving may still be provided by family, friends, privately hired caregivers, or facility staff.

So what does the hospice team do?

We help equip and support the people providing that everyday care.

That can include education about symptoms, medications and equipment related to the terminal illness, personal-care support according to the care plan, emotional and spiritual support, and access to hospice guidance when concerns arise.

There are also specific circumstances when a higher level of hospice care may be appropriate.

That's why asking:

“What will hospice provide—and what will our family still be responsible for?”

is such an important conversation before choosing a provider.

Families deserve clear expectations.

Questions are welcome.

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/17/2026

🧡 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝘂𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“At least they lived a long life.”

“They're in a better place.”

“You need to stay strong.”

“It's time to move forward.”

People often say these things because they desperately want to comfort someone who is grieving.

But sometimes the words meant to help…don't.

If someone has said something that hurt you after a loss, you are not required to turn it into comfort simply because they meant well.

And if you're supporting someone who is grieving, you don't need a profound explanation for their pain.

Try something simpler:

“I miss them, too.”

“Tell me about them.”

“I don't know what to say, but I'm here.”

“Would you like company?”

Or:

“I'm thinking about you today.”

Grief doesn't always need to be reframed.

Sometimes it simply needs to be witnessed.

Our Albuquerque Grief Support Group meets tonight and is open to members of our community navigating loss.

📍 8920 Adams NE, Suite B
Albuquerque, NM 87113

📅 Thursday, September 17 — 3rd Thursday of the month
🕠 5:30–6:30 PM

💻 Zoom option available
📧 Contact [email protected]

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/16/2026

When families hear “hospice social worker,” they may not know exactly what that person does.

And the answer is much broader than many people realize.

A hospice social worker helps patients and families navigate the human and practical side of serious illness.

Depending on individual needs, that may include:

💛 Helping families understand available resources

🧡 Supporting difficult family conversations

🤎 Helping patients and caregivers cope with emotional stress

💛 Connecting families with community resources

🧡 Helping navigate practical concerns and planning

🤎 Supporting caregivers who feel overwhelmed

💛 Advocating for the patient's wishes and goals

Sometimes the question isn't medical.

It's:

“How do I talk to my children about what's happening?”

“Our family doesn't agree about what Mom wants. What do we do?”

“I don't even know where to begin with these practical decisions.”

Those questions matter, too.

Hospice is interdisciplinary because serious illness affects far more than the body.

It affects relationships.

Finances.

Family roles.

Emotions.

Plans.

And everyday life.

That's why a hospice care team includes professionals who support the whole person and the people who love them.

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/15/2026

🌿 CAREGIVER CORNER

Have you ever had this happen?

The nurse leaves.

The door closes.

And suddenly you remember the question you meant to ask. 😩

Caregiving comes with a tremendous amount of information. When you're tired, worried, or juggling several responsibilities at once, it's easy to forget what you wanted to discuss.

Here's a tiny habit that can help:

Before every hospice visit, write down ONE question you most want answered.

Not ten.

Not everything you're worried about.

Start with one.

Maybe:

💛 “Her pain seems different. What should I watch for?”

🧡 “He's sleeping much more. Is that something we should discuss?”

🤎 “I'm having trouble helping her move safely. Can you show me?”

💛 “What should I do if this happens overnight?”

Then keep the question somewhere visible during the visit.

If there's time for more questions, wonderful.

But if the day gets hectic, you've made sure the thing that matters most doesn't get lost.

And here's another important reminder:

You are allowed to take notes.

You can ask someone to repeat something.

You can say, “I don't understand. Can you explain that differently?”

Being an advocate doesn't mean knowing all the answers.

Sometimes it simply means remembering to ask the question.

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/14/2026

When someone we love is seriously ill, we sometimes put enormous pressure on ourselves to find the right words.

We want to say something comforting.

Something meaningful.

Something they'll remember.

But meaningful connection doesn't always require a meaningful speech.

Sometimes it sounds like:

“I'm here.”

“Do you want company or some quiet?”

“Tell me what would feel good today.”

“I love you.”

Or even:

“I don't know what to say, but I'm glad I'm here with you.”

And sometimes there don't need to be words at all.

Sit beside them.

Watch their favorite show.

Brush their hair.

Listen to music.

Look through photographs.

Hold their hand—if they want it.

Share the silence.

Serious illness can make families feel as though every conversation suddenly needs to carry enormous meaning.

It doesn't.

The ordinary moments still count.

Your presence still counts.

And love doesn't become more meaningful simply because you found the perfect words for it.

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/13/2026

💛 SUNDAY REFLECTION

Photographs preserve a face.

But there's something else families sometimes realize they miss:

A voice.

The way Mom said your name.

Dad's terrible joke followed by his unmistakable laugh.

Grandma explaining a recipe without measuring anything.

The story Grandpa always told exactly the same way.

A familiar “Call me when you get home.”

The little phrases that once seemed so ordinary can become extraordinarily precious.

If someone you love is willing and able, consider preserving a little of their voice.

It doesn't need to be a formal interview.

Open the voice recorder on your phone and ask:

Tell me how you met Dad.

What were you like as a kid?

What's the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Tell me how you make your famous enchiladas.

Or don't ask anything at all.

Record the laughter around the dinner table.

Ask them to read a favorite children's book to a grandchild.

Capture them telling the family story everyone already knows.

And always ask permission before recording.

The goal isn't to turn every moment into a keepsake.

It's simply to recognize that sometimes the things we hear every day are the things we never imagine we'll miss.

A voice carries more than words. It carries the person. 💛

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/12/2026

🌿 SELF-CARE SATURDAY

Sometimes caregiving comes with a job nobody officially assigned you:

Family Communications Director. 😵‍💫

"How's Mom today?"

"What did the nurse say?"

"Did Dad eat?"

"Any changes?"

"Can you call me after the appointment?"

One person may suddenly find themselves providing the same update to siblings, cousins, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and extended family—all while actually providing care.

That's exhausting.

So here's your permission slip:

You do not owe everyone an individual update.

Try creating one communication system instead.

💛 A family group text
🧡 One designated family spokesperson
🤎 A shared update sent once per day
💛 A private family communication app or page
🧡 Or simply: “I'll update everyone when I have something to share.”

And here's something friends and extended family can do:

Don't make the primary caregiver your information desk.

If someone else can answer your question, ask them.

If you've already received an update, share it with the next family member.

Protecting a caregiver's energy sometimes means reducing the number of times they have to tell the same story.

That's self-care, too. 🫶🏼

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/11/2026

❓ FRIDAY FAQ: What happens if a hospice patient improves?

This question surprises some families.

Hospice isn't a one-way door.

Sometimes a person's condition stabilizes or improves to the point that they no longer meet hospice eligibility requirements.

When that happens, they may be discharged from hospice care.

And that's not something to fear.

It's something to celebrate. 💛

A patient can also choose to revoke hospice care if they decide they want to pursue treatment outside the hospice plan of care.

And if their condition changes again in the future and they meet eligibility requirements, they may be able to return to hospice.

This is one reason we want families to understand that choosing hospice doesn't mean losing control.

Care is based on the individual's needs, goals, condition, and eligibility.

Have a hospice question you've been hesitant to ask?

Send it to us.

There's a good chance another family is wondering the same thing.

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here on our page.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

09/10/2026

🤎 Their clothes are still hanging in the closet.

Their coffee mug is still in the cabinet.

Their shoes are by the door.

And everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should do with them.

There is no universal timeline for someone's belongings after a death.

Some people find comfort in sorting things relatively soon.

Others can't imagine opening the closet for months—or longer.

Some keep certain belongings forever.

Some give things to family.

Some donate them.

Some transform a shirt into a quilt, keep handwritten recipe cards, frame a note, or save one bottle of a familiar perfume.

And sometimes you begin sorting…and realize you're not ready.

You can stop.

Grief doesn't require you to prove you're healing by emptying a closet.

When you do decide to begin, consider starting small.

One drawer.

One shelf.

One box.

And perhaps create three categories:

KEEP

SHARE

DECIDE LATER

That third box matters.

You don't have to make every decision today.

If you're navigating loss and would benefit from being around people who understand, our Las Cruces Grief Support Group meets tonight.

📍 755 S. Telshor Blvd., Suite D-109
Las Cruces, NM 88011

📅 Thursday, September 10 — 2nd Thursday
🕠 5:30 PM–6:30 PM

Our grief support groups are open to the community.

📞 (505) 585-2603
🌐 highdeserthospice.care
💬 Message us here for additional information.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

High Desert Hospice

09/19/2026

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