Transitioning into hospice care can be a sensitive time for everyone involved, especially for the senior. The elderly can have a hard time accepting that they need help, as this usually means making a significant mental shift in the way they see their lives.
More often than not, seniors who need home care are limited in the things they can do and in the places they can visit. Their independence becomes greatly limited, and this can be a frustrating change to accept.
If you’re one of the many people who need help in adjusting an older family member to hospice care, these are tips you can follow to make the process as easy as possible for everyone affected:
Recognize the True Purpose of Hospice Care
People can sometimes be confused about what hospice care is supposed to do. When you’re getting into this transitional process, it’s essential to have your expectations grounded on your hospice care company’s goals.
Most companies aim to provide ways to improve seniors’ quality of life. The purpose is to keep them comfortable during the remaining time while providing clinical care like therapy sessions. They can also offer licensed assistance for home health services.
You shouldn’t expect these companies and healthcare workers to provide cures for whatever is ailing your senior family member. Setting your expectations to this kind of goal will only hurt and disappoint everyone involved down the line.
Be Mindful of Your Senior Family Member’s Needs
During this time, it’s imperative to be mindful of your senior family member’s needs. Their transition can be tough on their sense of self and purpose. It’s good to spend as much time with them as possible and encourage them to socialize with you and other family members.
They may need more emotional or spiritual support during a difficult time, so it’s necessary to let them know that support is available to them at all times. As much as possible, help them find new hobbies and interests to keep them busy and their thoughts distracted.
In a big transition like this, they can lose sight of things that matter. The goal is to help them find new things they can feel happy and excited about. During hospice care, seniors still need to feel a sense of independence, and helping them find new passions can aid in this process.
Trust in Your Hospice Care Provider
The transition won’t work if you don’t trust the company you’re hiring to care for your family member. This trust is why thorough research on the best hospice care companies is essential. You need to feel like you can leave your family member with the people providing critical health services.
Trusting in your hospice care provider will also allow you to spend as much time with your senior family members without worrying about the quality of care they’re getting. It will enable you to focus on other things, like nurturing your relationship with them to make them feel loved and cared for.
Conclusion
During this delicate process, it’s vital to make everything as comfortable as possible for your senior family member. Their needs should be the priority, and you can only do this when you’re confident in the services you employ.
Bridge Home Health & Hospice provides the best senior health services in California. We specialize in home-based hospice care, given only by highly trained clinicians and therapists. Visit our website to learn more about our services.
