Ensure That Your Parent's Final Days Are As Comfortable As Possible
Inoperable cancer that is terminal may be the disease that your parent has been battling for some time. Although many treatment methods could have been effective at first, the severity of the illness and the continuous spreading of the disease may have resulted in your loved one's oncologist recommending hospice care for the remaining months of your parent's life.
Home May Be Where Your Parent Feels Most Comfortable
If your mother or father has spent long stints in a hospital or if an influx of outside appointments seemed to be consuming their schedule, they may be ready to give up on the treatment and spend their remaining days where they feel most comfortable. A common misconception is that hospice care requires an individual to reside inside of a facility where caregivers are available.
Although there are many in-patient hospice centers, there are also home health care services that provide equally adequate care. Your loved one will need to make the ultimate decision, regarding where they would like to stay. If they are insistent about being at home, all accommodations should be made to ensure that their needs are met and that they are able to rest as much as they would like to.
There Are A Range Of Services
The director of a hospice program will treat each patient as an individual and will look over their diagnosis, current symptoms, medication requirements, and dietary guidelines. This information will aid with creating a home health care plan, which assigns several caregivers to help your parent and provide services to you and your immediate family members.
A bereavement counselor, a basic caregiver, a non-denominational chaplain, volunteers, and a caseworker are some of the people that may be assigned to aid with various parts of your loved one's plan. Depending upon how much help you can give and the amount of attention that your parent will need throughout each day, a schedule will be set up.
There are also on call measures which may be taken into account and result in a treatment program being overseen by a core group of people and the introduction of other hospice workers, as your parent's needs change.
For instance, at the beginning of the hospice care, your loved one may only need routine monitoring or assistance with feedings or medication dosages. As your parent's situation turns for the worse and they are approaching death, a bereavement counselor may be assigned, so that your parent can express their feelings of grief and process what is going to eventually occur.