The Pre-Hospice Patient
You've spoken with your loved one, a husband, a wife, a mother, a father, sometimes your child or sibling, or even your friend. You've cried and contemplated, and you're not ready to let go. The one thing you don't have to do is be alone.
If your loved one is suffering from a terminal illness that will cause their death within six months or less, then yes, your loved one is ready for hospice. You must be thinking:Wow, that was an easy answer to the above question. But it really is that simple. If you want a comfortable final span of time for your loved one, then encourage their decision to choose hospice.
Saint Verena Hospice Care is there with you. We provide the support to you, the caregiver, so that you can support your loved one.
Standard support that Saint Verena is honored to provide includes:
- Hospital bed
- Wheelchair
- Oxygen Tanks
- Bed bath supplies
- Nutritional supplements
- Prescription medications
- Over-the-Counter medications
- Once to thrice weekly visits with a skilled nurse, who will do comprehensive assessments and provide medical care, education of the disease and decline process, and encouragement that you are doing a great job caring for your loved one!
- Once to thrice weekly visits with a certified home health aide, who will provide soothing bathing and hygiene care
- Monthly visits with the physician, who will assess your loved one's physical condition and offer education and advice
- Monthly visits with a social worker, who will will discuss your loved one's and the family's social needs, perhaps performing life review and offering encouragement and advice for coping and saying goodbye
- Monthly visits with a chaplain, who will perform spiritual care for your loved one and the family, perhaps by praying or reading scripture
Not many people with a terminal diagnosis are instantly ready for hospice. And to elect your hospice benefit does require thought and discussion with your loved ones.
Some thoughts may be rushing through your head:
- What do I do now?
- How do I know what care to choose?
- What will my loved ones do?
- Will I be in pain until the end?
- Will it hurt to die?
- What will my loved ones do once I'm gone?
The "hard" part of this process has already happened: you've heard the terminal diagnosis. . You will be ready for hospice when you agree with most or all of these statements:
- I want to live the remaining time of my life comfortably.
- I want to maintain my dignity as the illness runs its course.
- I don't want to travel to medical appointments.
- I want medical care to come to me.
- I want my family to have the support necessary to help them care for me.
- I want comprehensive care that will help alleviate pain and suffering.
- I want to die comfortably.
Call Saint Verena Hospice Care for your free pre-admission assessment.