End of Life Care: How Hospice Benefits the Entire Family
One of the greatest honors a family may have is to care for an elderly family member. It can be fulfilling to give back to a beloved person who once took great care of you. Yet, at the same time, caring for an elderly family member can also be challenging. Eldercare needs increase over time, especially when there is a terminal diagnosis. Fortunately, there is a special kind of care that offers dignity, respect and focuses on quality of life for people with terminal illnesses. This is the core value of hospice care, and it offers compassionate care for people in the end stages of life so that they may live as comfortably and peacefully as possible.
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. While the core of hospice care focuses on providing compassionate care for the patient, hospice care extends to the family as well. Many family members are often surprised that the hospice care team is there to support them. Here are four ways that hospice care benefits the entire family.
Provides Respite
When an elderly family member nears the end of their life, the family often rallies around them to ensure they are never left alone. A life-limiting illness could mean that the person has days, weeks, or months to live. The longer the person lives with their terminal illness, the more emotional toll it takes on the family to remain vigilant. While this is an honor to see someone through to the very end, it can also be exhausting. Hospice care provides respite for the family. It allows the family to go home, sleep, shower, run errands, work, and spend time with their own families. It gives the family peace of mind knowing that someone is there with their beloved family member. It allows the family to continue with their daily lives, knowing that the hospice team will call as soon as there is a critical change.
Offers Emotional & Spiritual Support
Hospice care also offers emotional and spiritual support for the entire family. Our society tends to shy away from difficult subjects, such as death and dying. Even when families have a strong support network, there may be specific topics that they avoid discussing with close friends. The hospice care team becomes the emotional and spiritual support system for the family. They offer a listening ear without judgment. They are familiar with the wide range of emotions families face when their aging loved one is approaching their final days. The hospice chaplain can offer counseling for families who need support during this delicate time.
Alleviates the Challenge of Personal Care
The physical needs of a senior who is living with a life-limiting illness are often demanding. While families can provide physical care for their aging loved ones, hospice care takes the burden of personal care off their shoulders. Hospice care allows the patient to keep their dignity intact, as their close family members aren’t the ones helping them in the shower or changing their soiled sheets. Hospice care allows family members to remain in their role of a family member instead of becoming a caregiver and assisting their aging loved one with private, personal care.
Shares Knowledge and Experiences
Finally, hospice care can share their knowledge about what a family can expect as the patient nears end-of-life. Hospice professionals are highly educated and are trained to recognize non-verbal signs of pain or discomfort. They can offer education to the family to prepare for what to expect throughout the entire hospice journey. They’ve seen other families through difficult seasons and can offer wisdom and perspective based on their experiences with other hospice patients. The hospice team can assist with funeral arrangements. They often begin this conversation early in the hospice journey so that the family has time to process such decisions.
While death and dying are a natural part of our life cycle, the journey isn’t any less difficult. As more and more older adults choose to age in place, they wish to remain in the comfort of their own homes to the very end of their lives. It’s important that families have access to compassionate and supportive home care services. At Visiting Angels Richmond, we are here to help take on the responsibility of caring for your loved one and providing compassionate end-of-life care and support to your loved one and your family. Our care team will keep your loved one as comfortable as possible while supporting you through this journey. To learn more about our end-of-life care services, please get in touch with us today by calling 804-353-0000.