The ultimate goal of medical treatment is to end pain and suffering. Typically, this means treating the disease or injury and helping the patient return to normal activities. However, when someone has a terminal illness or is nearing the end of their natural life, you may want to switch from curative and palliative care to hospice care. When your loved one is moved to hospice care, time is of the essence, and you must begin making preparations and saying your final farewells.
Butte Home Health and Hospice shares some things that you can expect about the process and some practical matters you will need to address along the way.
Your Loved One Will Have a ‘Hospice Team’
Hospice care is not administered by a single person but a group of medical and other professionals. Their hospice team comprises a doctor, nurses, chaplain and medical aids. They will also be assigned a social worker. The individuals who focus on medicine will visit often to monitor for changes and help manage pain. Your loved one’s doctor and nurses will coordinate with others, such as the social worker, whose job is, in part, to counsel the family and assist them in emotional and practical issues throughout the dying process.
Hospice Care Offers a Holistic Approach
Hospice centers provide options in terms of holistic therapy, an alternative, natural approach to conventional medicine. Depending on which center you choose, services may include aromatherapy, Reiki, massages, and pet therapy. These are designed to help your loved one feel comfortable, lessen their pain, and increase their happiness while under hospice care.
When choosing a hospice center, the Hospice Foundation of America notes that it’s important to determine its potential costs and the amount your loved one’s health insurance will cover. These benefits can enhance the holistic approach during hospice care. If your loved one is on Medicare, search for a hospice center that is Medicare certified like Butte Home Health and Hospice.
Consider Working from Home
It’s likely you’ll want to spend as much time as possible with your loved one. Unfortunately, work responsibilities may present an additional challenge. If you have a job that could allow for remote work, talk to your supervisor about this as an option. This scenario offers the best of both worlds, allowing you the extra proximity you hope to have right now while still completing handling work obligations.
If you’re new to the concept of remote work, you’ll need to carve out a special space to work, and set your working hours and breaks. You can create a home office that optimizes productivity by having all the appropriate equipment, ergonomic furniture, and the right bandwidth and speed for your internet connection. Your boss may also require you to check in regularly through virtual meetings. If work becomes too difficult to manage during this time, your next option is to see about a leave of absence.
Now Is the Time to Confirm the Final Wishes
Nobody wants to watch a family member or close friend pass away. Sadly, there is a good chance this fear will become a reality, and the best way to honor them after their death is to know how they would like for you to celebrate their life. Some people wish to be cremated in a quiet family-only ceremony, whereas others would like their funeral to be a community affair.
More than just their funeral arrangements, Credit.com points out that you will need to make sure their important documents, such as their life insurance policy and last will and testament, are available to make sure their assets, if applicable, are distributed appropriately. If you aren’t certain if a life insurance policy exists, search through their personal belongings, including mail, bank lockbox, and dresser drawers.
It can be helpful to obtain digital copies of important documents before they’re needed. Once you’ve created PDF copies of the documents you need, try this tool to merge them into one file. This way, you don’t have to dig through several different files to locate information you need.
Hospice care doesn’t mean you are giving up on your loved one; in many cases, it is simply the acceptance of the inevitable. The time remaining is the final opportunity to say goodbye and allow them to transition without pain or discomfort. But it is also your last chance to make sure their loose ends have been tied. If you still have questions, contact your loved one’s doctors.
Image via Pixabay
Butte is an award-winning, not-for-profit home healthcare and hospice services provider in Chico, California. We offer compassionate hospice and health visits at home.
Author Leslie Campos created Wellparents.com to offer help and resources to busy parents who want to stay healthy and active
