Dorothy Hoffman: A Peaceful Ending to a Long Life

“If anyone deserved a peaceful ending to a long life, it was my Mom, Dorothy Hoffman. The compassionate staff and volunteers at Henry Ford Allegiance Hospice Home helped us give that to her,” said Dorothy’s daughter Mary Kurzynowski.” The special care they provided during Mom’s three-month stay allowed me to enjoy meaningful time with her.”

A loving and devoted mother, Dorothy was constantly active with gardening, cooking, baking and creating big holiday celebrations. Dorothy remained active into her early 90s, when a stroke limited her physical ability. Mary took an early retirement in 2019 and brought her mom to her home. But continuing health problems, including mini strokes, blood clots and irregular heart rhythms made that arrangement increasingly challenging for both mother and daughter.

“Mom began having hallucinations and would get up in the middle of the night. I bought a baby monitor, but I still couldn’t sleep for fear she would fall on my tile floors,” Mary said. “And Mom would get mad because I couldn’t safely allow her the freedom she once had.”

After a year, Mary realized she didn’t have the skills to meet her mother’s increasing needs. When she took a tour of the Hospice Home and met the staff, she decided to take Dorothy there. “I immediately knew that whatever my Mom needed would be provided for her, and a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders,” Mary said. “As busy as they were, they treated Mom like she was their only patient. No matter how many times she asked the same questions, they answered her with kindness and respect.”

To Mary’s relief, the staff was also willing to adjust to Dorothy’s needs, allowing her to choose when and what to eat, working puzzle books with her when she wanted company, and easing her constant restlessness. They also helped the family recognize and cope with the final stages of Dorothy’s life.

To honor Dorothy, and in gratitude for her exceptional care, her family made a donation to have her name included on a memorial wall in the Hospice Home. “The name of many of our friends and relations are on that wall, and we wanted Mom to be in good company,” Mary said.

Take a virtual tour of Henry Ford Allegiance Hospice Home and learn more about the compassionate end-of-life care Hospice Home provides.