Ed Freund and Elsie Elerby, both of Sharon, recently found themselves in the role of care-giver after their spouses became ill and entered Sharon Regional Health System's hospice program.

"I'm the primary care-giver, with the help of hospice," said Mrs. Elerby, whose husband, Bob, has kidney cancer. "I could not do it without them. Of course, they're part of the family now."

This isn't the first time Mrs. Elerby has been a care-giver. She also helped care for her father, grandmother and aunt before they passed away.

Freund accepted the role of care-giver for his wife, Sherry, after she was diagnosed with colangiocarcinoma, a cancer of the colon and bowel area, in December 2000. After an exploratory surgery on Jan. 10 revealed several inoperable tumors, the couple moved from Panama City, Fla., to their hometown of Sharon, where they entered the hospice program.

"I was happy that we were at the point in life where I could do it," Freund said. "Fortunately it didn't put a burden on anybody else, which means a lot."

Mrs. Freund passed away peacefully at her home last month.

Hospice not only helps to make terminal patients comfortable during their last days, it provides a support network for the family members taking care of them.

"A lot of times it's talking with the care-givers," said Ronnie Eppinger, hospice nurse. "They just need to talk. Maybe it's something they didn't want to tell anybody else."

Volunteers can go into the homes and relieve care-givers temporarily so they can go to the store, or the volunteers can run errands for them. Hospice nurses also inform families of signs and symptoms they should watch for that may indicate that death is imminent.

"You get very close with these families real quick," Mrs. Eppinger said.

After the patient dies, hospice care does not end, as far as the care-giver is concerned.

"We call them one week after and talk to the primary care-giver to see if they're sleeping, eating," Mrs. Eppinger said. "We can call them up to a year after death. If they have a need for it, we call them ourselves once a month."

Bereavement sessions are available for family members of hospice patients after their deaths, but support is not limited to the groups alone.

"Our phones are always open," Mrs. Eppinger said. "Sometimes they stop in and say hello. Sometimes they don't want to let go of us. We're still that last link for them."