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When Jeanne Wise\u2019s parents moved from Atlanta to Pierce County to live with her and her husband in 2020, she knew they were in their last stage of life.<\/p>\nWhen Jeanne Wise\u2019s parents moved from Atlanta to Pierce County to live with her and her husband in 2020, she knew they were in their last stage of life.<\/p>\n
At 88 years old, her parents struggled with mobility, other health needs and paying bills.<\/p>\n
Gene and Ann Russo had lived a full life, raising Wise and her three siblings in Miami Beach while working for the Communications Workers of America for many years, where Gene served as a regional vice president before retiring.<\/p>\n
After they settled in the Pacific Northwest, Wise didn\u2019t know how this final chapter would play out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had no experience with death,\u201d she explains. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what it looked like. So, when their health turned, I just kept trying to fix things.\u201d<\/p>\n
MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital\u2019s emergency department soon became a frequent destination. Although those visits signaled a further health decline, Gene and Ann quickly bonded with their local hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were obsessed with Good Sam every time we went,\u201d Wise recalls. \u201cMy parents felt that (the staff) were their friends. That\u2019s how they were treated. \u2026 It was like somebody in the family was helping us.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the appointments and specialists increased, Wise struggled to be the primary caregiver while maintaining her full-time job. It dawned on her that her parents weren\u2019t going to get better.<\/p>\n
When Wise received a referral to MultiCare Home Health & Hospice \u2014 where services are often provided at no cost, thanks to donors \u2014 she wasn\u2019t sure what to expect.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn’t know what (hospice care) could do,\u201d she says. \u201cUntil then, no one told me, or them, that they were dying.\u201d<\/p>\n
The moment the hospice team arrived at the house, however, Wise\u2019s fears began to subside.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy parents instantly lit up,\u201d she remembers. \u201cThey said they felt like royalty once the team started taking care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Gene was the first to receive care from the MultiCare hospice team, which included massage therapy, pain relief, hygiene assistance, chaplaincy, social work and more.<\/p>\n
Case manager Briana Shannon, RN, was glad to reduce some of Wise\u2019s responsibilities and provide wraparound care for her dad, and later, Ann.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people don\u2019t know much about what happens at the end of life because it\u2019s not a fun topic,\u201d Shannon shares. \u201cWe get to normalize the process and provide a lot of education, as well as reassurance to family members that they\u2019re doing a fabulous job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wise will never forget how dedicated every team member was to her parents\u2019 well-being.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey treated them with such dignity and respect,\u201d she reflects. \u201cAnd they were so present, never hurried or rushed. You could never tell that they had a life outside of right here, right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gene peacefully passed away in November 2024, and Ann followed in July 2025.<\/p>\n
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Wise remains grateful for their entire experience, which taught her a lot about hospice care. Rather than solely focusing on the pain of saying goodbye, she now has memories like her mom laughing and smiling while surrounded by family in her final weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think one of the biggest misconceptions I had is that hospice ends someone\u2019s life,\u201d she shares. \u201cIt\u2019s really the opposite \u2014 it gave me my parents of 25 years ago. It gave me them for the last month of their life.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a provider, Shannon appreciates hospice\u2019s ability to offer joy and quality of life when people might least expect it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is such a special part of health care that allows something scary and sad to be a little more smooth, and a beautiful thing,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
Each November, MultiCare Foundations invites the community to honor loved ones no longer with us through the Light Up A Life campaign. Every tribute gift supports hospice care and is represented by a shining light on the Trees of Remembrance at MultiCare Tacoma General and Good Samaritan hospitals.<\/p>\n
Donor generosity helps ease the financial, physical and emotional strain that patients and their families often face.<\/p>\n
\u201cHospice is so different from the other parts of health care,\u201d Shannon says. \u201cThe change of trying to fix someone to making sure they\u2019re comfortable is such a special opportunity to support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wise knows firsthand what a difference it can make.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what I would have done without our team,\u201d she reflects. \u201cYou just help so many people when you give to hospice.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Jeanne Wise\u2019s parents moved from Atlanta to Pierce County to live with her and her husband in 2020, she knew they were in their last stage of life. At 88 years old, her parents struggled with mobility, other health needs and paying bills. Gene and Ann Russo had lived a full life, raising Wise […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":629,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[75,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-foundations","category-profiles-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n