Does you loved one need home hospice care? Sooner or later, death comes to us all. Usually, people who face terminal illnesses have it worse. They know that there’s no chance of them healing, and nothing that can be done won’t be effective. This is also very hard for the terminally ill’s loved ones because they want to get the best end-of-life care without causing any more trouble.
The good news is that there’s something that can help: hospice care. Admitting your loved one to hospice care is a tough decision, but it’s for their best because you often can’t provide the quality of care that hospice agencies do.
In this article, we list down signs that your terminally ill loved one needs hospice care. Read on below to know what they are.
If you’re spending more time in the hospital than at home, it might be that your loved one is already beyond your caring abilities.
#1 – Your Loved One Is in Frequent Pain
Hospice care facilities specialize in pain management, which is specifically designed to lessen the pain of hospice patients and improve their overall quality of life. In some cases, a terminally ill patient’s pain has no concrete explanation and is already beyond medications.
On a related note, infections can also cause frequent pain for a terminally ill patient. The pain occurs due to their immune system no longer coping with the body’s demands. These infections can also be fatal if they become too severe.
If your terminally ill loved one is going through frequent pain, it might be time to consider hospice care because professionals know what to do.
#2 – Your Loved One Suffers from a Decrease in Appetite
A significant decrease in appetite for terminally ill patients is one of the many signs that the body is preparing to shut itself down. When this happens, the patient can also lose weight.
You can consider hospice care because they will be in a comfortable environment, and the hospice staff will find ways to feed your loved one.
#3 – Your Loved One Has Difficulty Breathing
When you have a terminally ill loved one that experiences difficulty breathing, you can only do so much. Gasping, raspy, and shallow breathing are all signs that there’s something wrong, so it’s recommended that you talk to a doctor regarding hospice and palliative care.
#4 – Your Loved One Goes through Longer Sleep Times
It’s common in terminally ill patients to sleep longer and more often. The reason for this is a failing metabolism. Since they don’t have enough energy in their body, it can lead to excessive fatigue, which causes them to sleep. While not precisely alarming, you should still talk with a doctor.
#5 – Your Loved One Has Less than 6 Months to Live
Bringing a terminally ill patient to hospice care is a decision between the patient, their family, the doctor, and a care specialist.
If the medical experts recommend hospice care for the patient, you should listen. It’s also worth noting that not everyone who enters hospice care dies because the care that comes before it is enough to help the patient recover.
Conclusion
Deciding on bringing a terminally ill loved one to hospice care is no easy task. However, it’s essential to know the signs that they need it, simply because it’s for the greater good of the patient. As long as you have their best interests at heart, they’ll keep on holding on.
Bridge Home Health & Hospice provides excellent home hospice care for terminally ill patients in California. We use state-of-the-art technology, and our staff is also trained according to our high standards so that our patients can get the best quality of care for them. Contact us today for a consultation!
