http://www.highdeserthospice.care/

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

10/20/2026

🌿 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐑

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯—𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦?

One sibling wants to pursue every possible treatment.

Another believes comfort should be the priority.

Someone who lives out of state questions the decisions being made at home.

And the person providing daily care feels caught in the middle.

Family disagreements during serious illness are more common than many people realize.

They don't always happen because someone is being difficult.

Sometimes people are frightened.

Sometimes they have different information.

Sometimes they're grieving before they even recognize it.

And sometimes they genuinely disagree about what is best.

Here are a few ways to approach these conversations:

✴️ 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬. What matters most to the person receiving care? Their preferences should guide decisions whenever possible.

✴️ 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. Ask the care team to clarify medical information that may be misunderstood.

✴️ 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫. Understand who has legal authority if the patient cannot make decisions.

✴️ 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. A hospice nurse or social worker may help facilitate a productive conversation.

✴️ 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥. Even when opinions differ, family members often agree that they want their loved one comfortable, respected, and cared for.

Not every disagreement will disappear.

But a difficult conversation can become more constructive when everyone remembers whose care is being discussed.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.

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

𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 💛🧡🤎

10/19/2026

💛 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞?

It's a question many people are afraid to ask.

And yet understanding what may happen can replace some of the uncertainty with preparation and reassurance.

As the body gradually slows down, families may notice changes such as:

➡️ 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠. A person may become less interested in conversation or spend longer periods resting.

➡️ 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐬. Appetite and thirst often change as the body's needs change.

➡️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. Breathing patterns may become irregular, with pauses or periods of faster or slower breathing.

➡️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. Some people become less responsive or experience periods of confusion.

➡️ 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭. Circulation may change as the body slows down.

Not everyone experiences these changes, and their timing varies. Some can also have treatable causes.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬.

That's why communication with the hospice team is so important.

If you notice something new or concerning, call your care team. They can help assess what's happening, address discomfort, and explain what to expect.

You don't have to interpret every change by yourself.

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐮𝐬.

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

𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 💛🧡🤎

10/18/2026

💛 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

She always wore lipstick.

Even to the grocery store.

He liked his coffee in the same chipped mug every morning.

She never missed the evening news.

He insisted on wearing his favorite cowboy boots.

She loved fresh flowers beside her bed.

He wanted the window open whenever the weather allowed.

Little things.

Ordinary preferences.

The habits and rituals that make a person unmistakably themselves.

When serious illness changes someone's abilities, it's easy for daily life to become focused on medications, appointments, symptoms, and schedules.

But the person receiving care is still so much more than their diagnosis.

They still have preferences.

A history.

A personality.

Things they love.

Things they absolutely cannot stand.

And ways of doing things that have been part of their identity for decades.

One of the most meaningful questions we can ask is:

“𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇?”

Maybe it's putting on a favorite sweater.

Listening to old country music.

Having their hair brushed a certain way.

Keeping a familiar morning routine.

Or choosing what they'd like to wear today.

Not every preference will always be possible, and comfort and safety still matter.

But whenever we can honor those little details, we're doing something important.

𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧—𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.

And sometimes dignity lives in the smallest choices. 💛

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

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

10/17/2026

🌿 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅-𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘

Let's talk about a feeling caregivers don't always admit out loud.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

You love the person you're caring for.

You want them to be comfortable.

You want to do the right thing.

And sometimes you are also frustrated, angry, lonely, exhausted, or resentful that your entire life seems to revolve around someone else's needs.

Maybe your siblings aren't helping.

Maybe you've missed another family gathering.

Maybe you're tired of being the dependable one.

Maybe you miss the relationship you had before caregiving changed it.

And then comes the guilt.

𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦?

Here's something important:

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.

Feeling resentment doesn't automatically mean you are uncaring or that you've failed.

It may be a signal that something about the current situation needs attention.

Instead of judging the feeling, try getting curious about it.

💛 What responsibility am I carrying that someone else could share?

🧡 What have I stopped doing that matters to me?

🤎 What boundary have I been afraid to set?

💛 What support have I needed but not asked for?

🧡 Is there something about the care situation I need to discuss with the hospice team?

You don't have to wait until you're completely overwhelmed to ask for support.

And if anger or exhaustion is making it difficult to provide safe care, reach out promptly for additional help.

You can love someone deeply and still need your own life, feelings, and limits to matter.

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

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

10/16/2026

❓ 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐐: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨?
When people think about hospice care, they usually picture nurses, aides, and physicians.

But there's another group of people who can make a meaningful difference:
Hospice volunteers. 💛

Volunteers contribute something that can be especially valuable during serious illness:

Their time and presence.

Depending on their training, the patient's wishes, and the hospice organization's volunteer program, volunteers may help by:

🧡 Spending time with a patient who enjoys companionship.

💛 Reading aloud, listening to music, or sharing conversation.

🤎 Giving a family caregiver a short period of companionship support for their loved one.

🧡 Helping with appropriate nonmedical activities.

💛 Supporting administrative and community outreach efforts.

🤎 Participating in remembrance or bereavement-related activities.

One of the most beautiful things about hospice volunteers is that their contribution doesn't always involve a complicated task.

Sometimes a volunteer simply sits with someone who wants company.

Sometimes they listen to the same story for the third time.

Sometimes they offer a caregiver a little breathing room.

And sometimes they remind a patient that someone has come to visit just to spend time with them.

Hospice volunteers do not replace nurses or provide skilled medical care. Their role is complementary, and available services vary.

If you're interested in learning about volunteer opportunities with High Desert Hospice, we'd love to hear from you.

➡️ Learn more about volunteering with us here: https://highdeserthospice.care/volunteer/

Compassion doesn't always require a medical degree. Sometimes it begins with showing up. 🫶🏼

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

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

10/15/2026

🤎 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼...

An anniversary.

A birthday.

The date of a diagnosis.

The day someone entered hospice.

The day your life changed.

You may have been doing relatively well, and then suddenly the approach of a particular date brings back emotions you weren't expecting.

This experience is sometimes called an anniversary reaction.

And it doesn't necessarily happen on the exact anniversary.

You might notice changes in your mood, sleep, energy, or emotions days or even weeks beforehand.

Some people feel sadness.

Others feel anger, anxiety, loneliness, or a longing they can't quite explain.

And sometimes the hardest part is feeling as though you should be doing better by now.

But grief doesn't measure progress by the calendar.

If a meaningful date is approaching, consider giving yourself a little extra room.

💛 Tell someone you trust that the date may be difficult.

🧡 Make plans if that feels comforting, but allow yourself to change them.

🤎 Consider a simple remembrance tradition.

💛 Give yourself permission to experience moments of happiness, too.

You don't have to commemorate the day in any particular way.

And you don't have to navigate it without support.

Our Albuquerque Grief Support Group meets tonight, Thursday, October 15.

📍 High Desert Hospice – Albuquerque
8920 Adams NE, Suite B
Albuquerque, NM 87113

🕠 5:30–6:30 PM
💻 Zoom option available.
📧 [email protected]

Our grief support groups are free of charge and open to the community.

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

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

10/14/2026

𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁?

There's a conversation many families postpone because it feels uncomfortable.

“𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮?”

It's not an easy question.

But it is an important one.

An advance directive allows you to document certain healthcare wishes and, depending on the form and state law, name someone to make healthcare decisions if you become unable to make them yourself.

And here's something families sometimes misunderstand:

An advance directive isn't only for older adults or people receiving hospice.

Serious illness and unexpected medical situations can affect adults at many stages of life.

A good place to begin is with three conversations:

1️⃣ Who would you trust? Choose someone willing and able to understand your wishes and advocate for them.

2️⃣ What matters most to you? Consider your values, treatment preferences, quality of life, and circumstances in which you would or would not want particular interventions.

3️⃣ Have you actually discussed your wishes? A name on a form doesn't automatically mean that person knows what you want.

New Mexico has its own requirements for advance healthcare directives, so use appropriate 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 documents and ask a qualified professional if you need guidance.

Once completed, make sure the right people and healthcare providers can access the documents.

The goal isn't to predict every possible medical situation.

It's to make your voice easier to hear—even if there comes a time when you cannot speak for yourself.

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

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

10/13/2026

🌿 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐑

Have you ever left a healthcare conversation thinking:

I understand what they said…but I'm not sure what we're actually supposed to do next.

You're not the only one.

When someone is seriously ill, families may hear unfamiliar medical terms, receive new instructions, and try to make decisions while emotionally exhausted.

Here's something every caregiver deserves to know:

You can ask the care team to explain the plan in a way that makes sense to you.

Try these five questions:

1️⃣ What is our main goal right now? Comfort? Symptom relief? Improving a specific problem?
2️⃣ What changes should we watch for? Ask which symptoms or behaviors deserve a phone call.
3️⃣ What should we do first if something changes? Request clear instructions for situations you're likely to encounter.
4️⃣ Who is responsible for what? Clarify what the hospice team handles and what family caregivers are expected to do.
5️⃣ Can you explain that again in everyday language? You don't have to understand medical terminology to be an excellent advocate.

One especially useful habit is repeating the instructions back in your own words.

“So if this happens, I should do this and then call you. Is that correct?”

That simple conversation can help catch misunderstandings before they become stressful.

And if several family members are involved, ask how everyone can receive consistent information while respecting the patient's privacy and wishes.

Advocacy doesn't mean challenging every decision. Sometimes it means making sure everyone understands the same plan.

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

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

10/12/2026

🗣️ 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

When someone you love is living with dementia, conversations can become difficult in ways you never anticipated.

They may repeat the same question.

Forget what you just explained.

Confuse the past with the present.

Or struggle to find the words they want to say.

Our natural instinct is often to correct, explain, or remind.

But sometimes, connection matters more than correction.

Here are a few communication approaches that may help:

💛 Approach gently. Come into their line of sight, use their name, and speak calmly.

🧡 Keep sentences simple. Offer one thought or question at a time.

🤎 Give them time. Allow extra moments for processing and responding.

💛 Look for the feeling behind the words. A repeated question may express worry or a need for reassurance.

🧡 Avoid unnecessary arguments. If correcting a detail isn't important for safety, consider responding to the emotion instead.

🤎 Use familiar comforts. Music, photographs, a favorite blanket, or a familiar routine may help someone feel more secure.

Dementia can change how a person communicates, but it doesn't erase their need for dignity, comfort, and connection.

And remember, every person with dementia is different. What works beautifully one day may not work the next.

If you're caring for someone with advanced dementia, the hospice care team can help you explore communication approaches that respect their individual needs.

Sometimes the most meaningful conversation isn't about getting the words right. It's about helping someone feel safe and loved.

You are not alone. We are here to help guide you through this chapter. Getting in touch is quick and easy:

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

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

10/11/2026

🧡 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

There's someone in the family who doesn't understand the diagnosis.

But they know something has changed.

The dog who suddenly spends every afternoon beside the bed.

The cat who has started sleeping in a different room.

The old dog who waits outside the bathroom door.

The pet who seems to notice when the house becomes quieter.

For many people, animals are woven into daily life.

They are routine.

Company.

Comfort.

A reason to get out of bed.

A warm body beside you during an impossibly difficult afternoon.

And sometimes, when a person is seriously ill, being able to spend time with a beloved pet can simply feel like home.

If it is safe and comfortable for everyone involved, don't underestimate those ordinary moments.

Let the dog climb into the chair beside Dad.

Let Grandma give the cat the treat she's been told approximately 4,000 times not to give him. 😉

Take the photograph.

Enjoy the familiar routine.

And families may also want to think ahead about practical questions:

Who will care for the pet if the primary owner can no longer do so?

Is there a feeding routine someone should know?

A veterinarian?

Medication?

A favorite person?

Planning for a beloved animal can sometimes bring peace of mind to the person who loves them.

Because pets aren't an afterthought in many families.

They're family, too. 🐾🧡

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

Let our family take care of yours. 💛🧡🤎

High Desert Hospice

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