As people near the end of life, they may suddenly be faced with a variety of complicated decisions. When it’s clear that someone is nearing the end of life, it’s better not to wait to make the shift to hospice care. Many families wait until the last minute, however, and avoiding that can bring many benefits for families and for people who are nearing the end of life.
Improved Quality of Life
One of the biggest reasons not to wait to start hospice care is that it can significantly improve the quality of life for as long as possible. Hospice focuses on offering comfort, dignity, and the support that people need as they face terminal illnesses. By entering hospice earlier, people nearing the end of life can get the specialized care and resources they need to maintain a higher quality of life.
Symptom Management
Hospice also focuses on managing symptoms, including pain, for people nearing the end of life. Hospice care providers assess the various needs of their patients and develop care plans designed to meet those needs. Getting symptoms like nausea, shortness of breath, and anxiety under better control makes it easier to face end-of-life issues and decisions. Managing symptoms in a timely manner gives seniors a better end-of-life experience overall.
Increased Family Support
Hospice care also offers support to family members as they do everything they can to take care of the people they are losing. Entering hospice earlier rather than later ensures that family caregivers have support while they’re making these massive decisions about their family member’s care. As caregiving becomes more demanding, family caregivers also have additional assistance with respite care.
Holistic Care Approaches
There are many misconceptions about hospice care, including that it only offers medical assistance. But hospice is about offering a holistic approach to caring for people at the end of life. When families make the decision to enter hospice care sooner, they’re better able to take advantage of that holistic approach to care, which can help seniors have better overall outcomes.
Help with Planning Future Care
Sometimes, seniors and families haven’t talked about what they want from care at the end of their lives. This makes it difficult for family members to do what seniors want because they don’t know enough about their wishes. Hospice can help families break the ice on those conversations and determine what decisions still need to be made about future care plans.
Deciding to move to hospice care can feel like a difficult and very final decision. But waiting until the last moment to make that choice isn’t necessarily the best option. Embracing intervention and support sooner rather than later helps families and seniors have a better experience as seniors near the end of life. It’s all about ensuring that seniors have the best chance possible to have comfort, peace, and dignity in the last days of their lives.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Hospice Care in La Mesa, CA, please contact the caring staff at A Passion for Care today. Call (858) 798-5005
A Passion for Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving San Diego, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Bernardo, Encinitas, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, Point Loma, and surrounding areas.
Making the transition to a completely new industry brought the opportunity to learn and grow, which continues still today. Pat studied Gerontology in San Diego State University’s certificate program and became licensed as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), a Home Health Aide (HHA), and completed the California Certification Program for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCCFE) as a Certified Administrator. She presented workshops at Aging in America Conference four years in a row and served as Chair of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council 2019-2020 and was the education board member for several years. More recently, Pat became a Certified Senior Advisor and was a San Diego Business Journal “50 over 50 2022 Women of Influence Honoree”.
Pat and her husband Roland have lived outside San Diego in the San Pasqual Valley for over three decades. She has two children who are grown professionals and three grandchildren. Pat enjoys traveling to, and visits from, family and friends throughout the year. While at home in San Pasqual Valley, she and Roland enjoy peaceful views and exploring the surrounding valleys.
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