Seung-il (Ken) Kang lived his final six days of life as a resident at the Roozen Family Hospice Centre. His wife Aeng-Soon (Anne), and daughters Gloria and Grace, found the experience so life changing that they came back several months later to share their story with us.
Ken was a business entrepreneur who emigrated from Korea to Alberta, and enjoyed a long retirement in Edmonton. He was a gregarious storyteller who enjoyed making practical jokes, especially on his wife. Ken loved barbecues, sushi, playing golf, and was always curious about learning new things, including how to play the saxophone in his sixties! He had a keen interest in politics and the news, and in his later years, food videos and technology. He also loved dogs…possibly more than people.
“Ken was a very strong character, with a resounding voice and laugh that filled the room. His greatest life’s value, and final advice, was to live honestly. Somehow, we thought he’d live forever.”
Ken died at the age of 78. His family did all they could to keep him at home but seeing him in extreme pain and not knowing if they were doing the right thing, or what was best for him, was incredibly difficult. The family described receiving very little information on the transition from active oncology care to palliative care. They felt lucky to find the Roozen Family Hospice Centre online, and that they didn’t need to suffer at home unsupported.
As the family shared, the initial home visits from Dr. Fanous (a physician with Pilgrims’ Home Visiting Hub) were very kind, informative, and helped to guide them through the decision for Ken to go into hospice care. With their Dad at home but in such visible pain, once they learned about the level of care available, it was “a no-brainer for hospice care to be the next step.”
Ken moved into a suite at the Roozen Family Hospice Centre, accompanied by his wife, daughters, and westie, Hamish. What was most meaningful for the family was being able to stay together, in a place that felt like home. “We all moved in and didn’t leave for the whole stay! It was like we were on a family vacation. We were so grateful that we could wheel him out in his bed to get some sunlight, spending hours outside.”
No longer facing the burden and challenges of being caretakers, Ken’s daughters told us: “We really didn’t have to worry about anything other than being with our dad.” At the click of a button someone would arrive to monitor Ken’s pain or give assistance with his bathroom and bathing needs. Caring staff also attended to simple things like cleaning Ken’s teeth or applying lotion to his dry skin, which added to his comfort and sense of respect – things the family was not always able to attend to, in the worry of caring for his more immediate needs at home.
The family greatly appreciated that the hospice centre was secular and welcoming of diverse cultures and experiences. They were also surprised to learn that it did not cost anything for them to stay and were grateful to have a financial worry alleviated. Gloria, Grace, and Anne hope that sharing their experience will help ensure the Roozen Family Hospice Centre will be able to support other families for many years to come.