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How to Know When to Call Hospice for the Elderly
One of the most difficult questions we must ask ourselves is when to use hospice care. Whether it be for our parents, relatives, or loved ones of any kind, we need to talk it out and know for sure when to do what. Read on to learn when it’s time to make a hospice call – as well as a deeper look into what exactly hospice care entails.
When Is It Time for Hospice Care?
Even if your loved one is not in any danger, it never hurts to look into the possibility. The more you know, the better decisions you’ll be able to make. On that note, the first thing you need to realize is that you don’t have to wait until the last moment.
You can and should call a hospice because then you get access to specialized nursing, medication, and medical care related to your loved one’s condition at no extra cost. The earlier you do this, the longer your loved one can enjoy a better quality of life, receiving all the care, guidance, and support they need.
However, if you’re looking for signs to decide when hospice care should begin, the following symptoms are good indicators for you to start looking:
- Repeated and frequent trips to the hospital or the emergency room
- Impairment in the ability of your loved one to perform day to day activities like dressing, eating, walking, or going to the bathroom
- Higher propensity to lose balance or fall
- Any change, mostly negative, of their mental faculties
- Rapid or prolonged weight loss
- Visible signs of deteriorating health like infections and skin tears
A Closer Look: What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is a kind of care given to people who are suffering from life-limiting and terminal illnesses. A doctor may prescribe a center for hospice care after taking a look at your loved one. The main goal of hospice care is to provide the best possible treatment and care to those in the final stages of their illnesses, making sure they live out their final days as fully and comfortably as possible.
What you need to know that a hospice is not aimed at curing or hastening death. It accepts death as a part of life and only exists to make that transition as peaceful as possible.
When Is Hospice Used?
So, when should you call hospice for cancer or other long-term illnesses? Officially, your loved one only qualifies for hospice care if they suffer from a terminal illness and have less than six months to live, given that the illness continues its current course. If the patient lives more than this six month period, you can continue to keep them in hospice care as long as your doctor deems it necessary.
It is important to note that if the condition of the patient improves during hospice care, you can discontinue the service at any time! You can also resume it if their condition takes a turn for the worse.
Why Use Hospice Care?
The main aim of any hospice care worth its salt is to care for the patient and offer unwavering support. This is in addition to what they receive from their family and loved ones. Think of hospice care as a cocoon of unconditional positive regard.
Your loved one gets the best possible care they can. They will have a team of caregivers around the clock to see to their every need and requirement – be it physical, emotional, or spiritual. Additionally, all medication, equipment, and supplies related to the patient’s ailment are provided free of charge. This is because hospice time is fully covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most kinds of private insurance.
What you get out of this is a measure of peace of mind. Knowing that your loved one is away is a hard bump to get over, but you can also be assured of the fact that they are receiving help with everything. Be it pain management or sleep disorders, hospice care covers it all.
All American Hospice – Your Premier Health Providers
Nobody is immune to pain. It is a luxury that none of us can afford, and instead of letting ourselves be crippled by the fear of pain and loss, a better strategy is to take action. Taking agency for yourself can come in various forms, and when it comes to caring for your loved ones, calling in some extra help when you need it is the best thing you can do.
Calling hospice care can be tough. Not only does it mean confronting the mortality of people we love, but it also means accepting that we can’t help them. It’s a tough thing to be shrouded by powerlessness, but we can’t be paralyzed by it. This is the time to put the needs of our loved ones over that of ours, and do something.
In this case, doing something means making sure people qualified to help are taking care of their loved ones. You owe it to yourself, and you owe it to them. You’re giving them something beautiful, and, if anything, you should be proud of that. Taking that decision takes strength. You need to know that. At All American Hospice Care, our team of caregivers is thoroughly trained in providing comfort, medication, and company to those who are in late-stage illnesses.
Take your time to make up your mind. Knowing your options saves valuable time when tragedy strikes, making sure you can act without hesitation. But whatever you do, do the right thing. Pick up the phone as soon as you’re sure.
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