Caring for seniors living with a terminal illness requires compassion, respect, and support for patients and their family members. Senior Home Care Services Washington DC looks much different for those participating in curative care than those participating in hospice care. Understanding the difference is important. Curative care focuses on support and needs while fighting the illness. Getting back and forth to treatments, nutrition guidance, and care after treatments are some examples.
Hospice Care
Hospice care focuses on symptom control and comfort when treatment is no longer a viable option, or the patient prefers the illness to simply take its course. Services can be provided in the home of the patient or a hospice facility. Physical, emotional, and spiritual support is provided by a team of professionals for the patient and the family during the last six-months of the life expectancy. Depending on the extent of needs, the team may consist of family, doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, home health care givers, and trained volunteers.
Counselors
Counselors are instrumental Senior Home Care Services Washington DC. They help patients and family cope with the end of life issues, discuss living wills and do not resuscitate options, and make final arrangements. After the death of a patient, a bereavement counselor follows the family members for up to thirteen-months to help with the loss and transition. Many family members are primary care givers who have devoted a substantial amount of time and energy to care for loved ones. The transition can be difficult.
What Services are Offered?
An experienced agency, such as Sacred Journey Hospice, will customize care medical needs to suit the patients and family members. If the family cannot be with the patient overnight, for example, a home health worker can be scheduled to stay with the patient. Patients and family members can visit online to explore service options and requirements for participating in hospice care.
Hospice services can make a significant in the quality of life of patients and family. Many people wait to inquire about hospice services until patients have merely weeks to live. Begin looking into services earlier to ease the burden and stress of those last few months.
