If you've been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and your doctor is managing your condition rather than trying to cure it, you may want to ask about getting hospice care. Having a discussion with your family and doctor now helps everyone understand what to do when the end of your life draws near. This gives you peace of mind that your loved ones will have help with your care in your final days and that you'll have the medical treatments you need in order to pass peacefully. Here are the helpful services hospice care might provide.
Pain Relief Medications
Your doctor has to refer you to hospice with a diagnosis of an end-stage terminal condition. When you're accepted as a hospice patient, hospice assumes most of your care, including providing medications. Medications are given as a form of palliative care, or medical treatment to keep you comfortable. A nurse might come to your home to administer medications by injection or IV. You might take drugs orally or with a patch.
The hospice nurse assesses your condition and recommends the best way to deliver your medications so your final days are as pain-free as possible. This can alleviate some of your fears, such as those associated with cancer pain in the disease's final stages.
Help With Your Care
You may prefer to spend your final days at home in familiar surroundings rather than go to a nursing home or hospital. However, you might fear you'll become a burden to your spouse or grown children. Hospice care is a big help for caregiving. An aide may come to your home each morning to help you with personal care or eating. Hospice might supply transfer equipment, a wheelchair, and other medical devices that help your family care for you more easily.
Support For Your Family
Hospice treats your family as a single unit. They not only provide care for you, they also care for your spouse and children too. Hospice provides support for your family when they need it in person or by phone. They'll offer grief counseling once you pass if your family wants to take advantage of it.
Emotional And Spiritual Support
Facing the end stages of a terminal disease is a frightening time, and you'll have many worries on your mind. Hospice is more than just help for your physical body. They provide counselors that can help your emotional state and clergy to help your spiritual state if you want to use those services. You never have to feel alone or feel like you can't talk about your situation and upset your family. A hospice volunteer or staff member is always ready to talk about end of life issues in a calm and supportive way.