For most people, hospice care signifies the end of hope. They would rather put it off as much as possible and hold on to whatever form of life they assume is left. However, hospice care centers and the services they offer are undeserving of this reputation. The patients whose conditions improve are allowed to return to curative care if they so wish, though the care they receive neither hastens nor postpones death.
Palliative care from an Indiana-based centers explain that they aim to make the patient as comfortable as possible even in the face of a life-limiting condition. Various studies have shown an improvement in a patient’s overall care if loved ones are also a part of their care. As such, most hospice centers now actively engage loved ones into hospice care practices. The following are some services designed for the loved ones of a patient in hospice care.
Respite Care
Hospice care does not necessarily mean institutional care. You can still have hospice care at home, with the center sending professionals to handle various issues that affect the patient’s comfort. This is known as respite care.
Respite care is designed to give caregivers a much-deserved break to attend to other problems. While you might not see much need for respite care and would want to spend your entire day caring for your loved one, you might suffer burnout and become frustrated without a break. Respite care will ensure you are at your best to offer the highest levels of care to your loved one.
Grief Counseling
Bereavement, when your loved one is facing a life-limiting illness, starts long before he or she passes on. As such, hospice centers will begin offering grief counseling immediately once your loved one checks into care. Counseling typically continues for about a year after their death. There are different techniques used for grief counseling for various forms of grief. Among the most common are behavioral therapy, cognitive restructuring, role-playing, and the use of mementos and evocative language.
Support Groups
Having a loved one in hospice is no easy thing to deal with. Centers will put together support groups for the patients’ families to share strategies of coping with the issues they might be going through and make it easy for them. While it might not necessarily take away the emotional burden you are feeling, talking with other people will introduce you to techniques of coping with your situation and lighten your burden.
Volunteer Training
It is impossible to have all the required skills for taking care of your loved one battling a life-limiting condition. Hospice centers will thus offer volunteer training to those taking care of their loved ones to equip them with basic skills for handling various issues. This puts them in a far better position to offer supportive care for their loved ones.
The primary element that causes most psychological issues in hospice patients is a worry of how their loved ones are coping with their condition. Thanks to the above services, you will be knowledgeable on various issues your loved one is facing and find better ways to handle the ones you are going through. Your loved one can, therefore, worry less and focus on his or her comf
