Who Needs A Hug ?
By Becky LaSalle
Studies show that when we hug , we feel less lonely . Hugs lower our heart rate , blood pressure , and the levels of the harmful stress hormone cortisol . After the loss of a loved one we need hugs more than ever but sometimes the only hug we want is from the person we lost .
Enter the Bear Hugs program at Home Hospice of Grayson , Cooke & Fannin Counties . Volunteers take clothing or other fabric items brought in by families and turn them into teddy bears . The bears are the perfect size for a hug and since they often carry the scent of the lost loved one , they become a source of welcome comfort .
Miriam Wallace says , “ I chose my husband ’ s favorite blanket that he used during his last days of life here on earth as the material for my bear . It still had Mike ’ s scent on it for a long time . Thank you , Bear Hugs volunteers !” She calls her bear “ Daddy ’ s Bear ” and named her canine friend , “ MannyBear .”
The bears are loved by all ages . One set of bears was given to the grandchildren of a former Home Hospice patient . They call their bears “ Papa Bear ” and sleep with them every night . Even two years after their Papa passed away they continue to sleep with the bears and hug them when they miss him . The bears provide a precious connection to the loved one at a time when they feel so lost . Sometimes , comfort is hard to come by after a loss but having something tangible to hold on to helps to sooth a broken heart .
All the bears are made with love by volunteers in the Bear Hugs program . We all need a hug from time to time . For more information about the Bear Hugs program or to see more pictures , you can visit the Home Hospice of Grayson , Cooke & Fannin Counties facebook page at www . facebook . com / homehospiceofgrayson or visit their website at www . homehospice . org .
“ They invented hugs to let people know you love them without saying anything .”–– Bil Keane
Miriam Wallace
Home Hospice
Grayson , Cooke and Fannin Counties
505 W . Center St . Sherman , TX 75090 903-868-9315
316 S . Chestnut Gainesville , TX 76240 940-665-9891
www . HomeHospice . org
Quality of Life is Our Mission
Your resource for quality hospice care , emotional , spiritual and bereavement support
14 TEXOMA AREA Living Well Magazine | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016