When a terminal illness has come to the point of disallowing any further quality of life for the patient, it may become necessary to seek end-of-life care – also called hospice care. This is a unique type of medical treatment that addresses a person’s physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs.
End-of-life care centers keep the patient comfortable rather than treating an illness. Receiving this type of care is a decision you and/or your loved one may make when treatment is no longer working. At this point, your loved one no longer requires medical treatments for the condition but may take pain medication to alleviate discomfort.
Hospice and end-of-life care provide many services for you and your loved one, especially the following:
Fulfilling Social Needs
This is a time when a sick or suffering person doesn’t want to be alone. You may want to be with your loved one every second, but responsibilities like family and a job may hinder your ability to spend all of your time with your loved one.
Hospice care nurses and aides are specifically trained and screened to deal with people who are approaching the end of their life. These aides are there to speak to the patient and to comfort them. They’re also there to provide companionship when you can’t be there.
Serving Physical Needs
Daily living tasks, such as personal hygiene, are part of end-of-life care. A person has every right to be clean and well-taken care of each day. That’s why end-of-life care includes services like bathing, brushing your loved one’s hair and teeth, and other tasks to keep your loved one clean.
In addition, end-of-life care includes addressing your loved one’s pain and other unpleasant symptoms. Your loved one will receive a thorough evaluation, and a practitioner will determine the ideal level of pain relief to maintain their comfort.
The level of pain medication will continually be reevaluated and adjusted as necessary. The practitioner will also determine whether any other comfort measures are necessary.
Providing Emotional Support
The topic of “end of life” is difficult for many people to speak about in general, but especially when it becomes a reality for a family. Part of end-of-life care includes having someone to speak to about any concerns you or your loved one have.
Hospice in Bastrop, TX for End-of-Life Care
It takes a special type of person to provide these types of services, and we have those special people on our team. We make sure that you and your loved one have all the support you need. Our plans are customizable, so you can find care for your loved one when and how you need it most.
Here at Serenity Hospice, we serve clients in the Bastrop and Greater Austin area. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, contact us today by calling us at (512) 985-6107 or by filling out our contact form now. We look forward to serving you and your loved ones.
