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Realizing that a sick loved one may be nearing the end of life is challenging — emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically. Caregivers might experience heightened stress and fatigue that comes with caring for a dying person, whether a spouse, parent, child or anyone with a terminal illness.
Sometimes providing the best care possible to keep loved ones comfortable and pain-free during the last days, months or years of life may mean seeking support from a larger care team through hospice.
Focused on care and comfort — and not necessarily cure — hospice includes doctors, nurses, aides, social workers, spiritual counselors and therapists who work together to help minimize pain and symptoms so that people can live comfortably as life draws to a close.
So when is the right time to seek hospice care? The answers will vary on a case-by-case basis, so it is a good idea to discuss this question with the person’s doctor and health care team.
Dr. Margaret Elizondo, a hospice and palliative care expert affiliated with Sharp Grossmont Hospital, provides some guidance when making this important decision. Some common indicators that a person may be suitable for hospice include:
Increase in symptoms that do not respond well to traditional treatment
Continual medical setbacks
Decrease in appetite or weight loss
Frequent trips to the emergency room or hospital to manage symptoms
It’s also important to consider how the caregiver and family are feeling. A hospice team can help support families dealing with the day-to-day expectations of taking care of a loved one. Caregivers may want to consider hospice if they are experiencing any of the following:
Increase in stress and burden due to declining health of a loved one
Physical and/or emotional exhaustion from caring for a loved one
Feeling isolated due to the demands or uncertainties of caregiving
Feeling overwhelmed with the financial, emotional or spiritual concerns surrounding the loved one’s illness
Navigating the emotional and medical complexities of end-of-life care can be stressful, but doctors can help families decide whether hospice is right for them.
Hospice may be a path toward providing comprehensive, compassionate care so that the moments in life for loved ones are as comfortable and meaningful as possible.
The Sharp Health News Team are content authors who write and produce stories about Sharp HealthCare and its hospitals, clinics, medical groups and health plan.
Dr. Margaret Elizondo is a hospice and palliative care expert affiliated with Sharp Grossmont Hospital.
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