Patient Stories

A Lifetime of Adventure, A Peaceful Ending

Roger's teenage years read like the early stages of a Hollywood blockbuster.

He was just 14 years old – visiting his older brother in Puerto Rico – when America became involved in World War II. With no way to get to his home in Hudson, Massachusetts, Roger instead found a ship headed east across the Atlantic.

At 15, he officially enlisted as a Merchant Marine. And for two years, he served in ship engine rooms – ensuring Allied vessels were running smoothly.

After the War, he returned home to New England, attending Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire, and then to St. Lawrence College in upstate New York. From there, it was back to war, this time serving his country in Korea.

After his second tour, he met Jeanne during a ski trip to Colorado. It turned out Jeanne, who was working with the USO at the time, had actually grown up in the same town as he did – but attended Catholic school, so the two had not crossed paths before.

Soon after, Roger and Jeanne got married and settled down not too far from their hometown – raising their three children in Maynard.

"Family was everything to Mom and Dad," recalls their daughter Liz. "Dad loved to bring us all along on his adventures: going winters on an island in Belize, vacationing on the ocean, skiing, fishing…

"Mom helped nurture all their children and grandchildren to further their education. Many times she was part of the education through Cub Scout leader, Girl Scout leader, reading and participating in school classes, or teaching us how to swim and garden."

For decades, the adventure Roger had started at 14 never really stopped. It just grew to include a family. But as he aged into his 90s, he had no choice but to slow down.

Palliative Care: An Extra Layer of Support

Roger had already been diagnosed with dementia when a heart attack compounded his health problems. It was clear to the family that they needed an extra layer of support, and made the call to Care Dimensions for palliative care.

Palliative care is designed for people like Roger who are living with a serious illness. It’s focused on relieving pain, managing symptoms, and supporting overall quality of life. A nurse practitioner and social worker make regular calls and visits, helping families navigate care coordination and difficult health care planning conversations.

For the family, it was a process of discovery. "We learned as we went along what a valuable asset it was," said Liz. "Palliative care explained the health changes as they occurred, the progressing health signs to watch out for, and ensured the house was technically safe for my parents during all stages of decline."

At the center of that support was palliative care nurse practitioner Catherine Duffy, who made not only regular visits to their home, but also unanticipated ones to the hospital and rehab facilities when the need arose.

“Having the time to get to know Roger and his family allowed me to understand what was important to them at different points in his illness,” said Catherine. “When he was hospitalized, that knowledge helped me guide the family in decision-making that was in line with what Roger would want for himself.”

The connection Catherine made with the entire family was lasting.

"We could always count on Catherine to guide us in difficult times with confidence and assurance," recalled Liz. "She always entered the house with a smile and beautiful demeanor. She was a fantastic listener and always asked the right questions to get to what was needed. I can't express just how much that meant to my family. She truly was our guiding angel."

A Time of Transitions

Eventually, Roger moved from palliative care to hospice. Catherine helped guide that transition, and because Care Dimensions offers both services, the change was seamless. 

Roger died in 2023 at the age of 95 – a life that had taken him from a wartime Atlantic crossing at 14 to nine decades of adventure and family.

After his passing, the family recognized that Jeanne, now on her own, could benefit from the same level of support. Catherine remained part of their lives as Jeanne enrolled in palliative care.

“It was a unique experience to know Jeanne as a patient’s family member and then as a patient,” recalled Catherine, who also helped with Jeanne’s eventual transition to hospice. “This long relationship helped Liz and I support Jeanne through her end of life wish to be in her own home, in her own bed, with the support of hospice.”

Jeanne died just weeks shy of her 97th birthday. Liz will always remember, in her final days, her mom could sit at a window in her home overlooking the Assabet River – “clear-minded and content,”

"We really cherished the care both my parents received from Care Dimensions,” said Liz. “Because of their team, my parents were able to live their remaining years in their marital home with quality. This was always their ultimate wish."

Learn more about the differences between hospice and palliative care - and see if Care Dimensions might be right for your family.