Watching the health of a loved one deteriorate is difficult for anyone. Making decisions regarding their well-being is an even greater hardship. Let’s go over four signs that it may be time to consider hospice care for your terminally ill loved one so that you can make those choices more confidently when the time is right.
Daily Activities Are Becoming Difficult
Perhaps the most significant sign to look for is when daily functions become too difficult. Small things, like getting out of bed independently, cleaning up after using the restroom, or opening the fridge to get food, can all become too demanding for someone in pain. Hospice care provides pain treatment to make movements like these easier. Caregivers and nurses can also help with these functions to return dignity and ease to your loved one.
Medical Issues Are Getting Harder To Reign In
Pain management is, of course, the top priority for nurses and caregivers assisting anyone who is terminally ill. When pain becomes harder to safely and confidently treat, hospice care is worth considering. Frequent infections, uncontrollable weight loss, and emotional stress from confusion or depression are also signals to caregivers that hospice care might better suit their loved one’s needs.
Trips to the ER Are Increasingly Frequent
Regular emergency room visits aren’t just hard to afford; they’re distressing and disarming for everyone involved. Suppose an illness is causing someone to spend most of their time in the hospital. In that case, they and their families need to consider whether a home or facility setting will provide more comfort for everyone.
Your Family Is Constantly Worried
While it may not initially seem right to measure the move to hospice by how the family feels, it’s important to remember that family and caregivers are responsible for helping to make decisions with their loved one’s needs in mind.
If people around a person who is ill have to dedicate more and more time to their care or are constantly worried about when the next problem will crop up, it’s prudent to consider what support and resources hospice care offers. Working with a team alleviates some of the burden and makes it easier to see to both your loved one and your family’s needs without risking burnout.
When you notice these signs that it may be time to consider hospice care, reach out to facilities near you to gain a better understanding of your options moving forward. It’s important to understand the terminology in this field so that you and your loved ones can make informed decisions. Hospice care teams can answer your questions and share your goal of improving your loved one’s quality of life from here on out.
