Caring At The End
We all wish our loved ones could live forever, but this isn't the case. We can give them the best quality of life as they approach the end of their lives. This is where End of Life Care comes in. The time leading up to the passing of a loved one is difficult for family and friends. The emotional strain is tremendous. While nothing can take the pain of a loved one nearing their passing, using an End of Life service can make day-to-day care and comfort easier and allow you more time to spend more quality time with them.
What is End of Life Care?
As mentioned, the goal of providing end-of-life care is to give the person given a limited life expectancy the best quality of life possible. While at the same time supporting and helping their family. This includes:
Recognizing that someone is dying
Maintaining respect for the person and their family
Incorporating the person or their family into the decision-making process
Assisting them and their families
Developing an individualized care plan
When a loved one is given a short life expectancy, they frequently want to spend their final days in comfort at home. A caregiver for your loved one will help around the house and provide emotional and psychological support to the family, collaborating with a hospice agency or medical professional to completely satisfy the patient's and family's care needs.
Palliative Care Vs. End of Life Care
Palliative care does involve end-of-life care. However, the key distinction is that it may be employed throughout the treatment process. The length of time spent in palliative care varies depending on the condition and the type of care required by the patient.
Some patients with incurable illnesses may require palliative care for many years, while others may only require treatment in the months, weeks, or days before passing.
Like end-of-life care, if a condition is untreatable, palliative care can assist in managing discomfort, lowering the severity of symptoms, and making the patient more comfortable. The necessary emotional and psychological support is offered to the individual, their family, and friends instead of just treating the person's illness and symptoms.
Who Would Need End-of-Life Care?
End-of-life care is provided to those whose deaths are believed to be near, be they elderly or suffering from a terminal illness.
People are deemed to be nearing the end of their lives if they are expected to pass away within 12 months. However, this is not always the case, as there is no exact way to predict how the person's condition will fluctuate.
Who delivers end-of-life care?
Your GP will have the final responsibility for your care regarding end-of-life care at home or in a care facility. Community nurses are likely to visit the house regularly, and friends and family may take an active role in caring for the person.
What Happens During End of Life Care
When Does End of Life Care Start?
The simplest answer is that end-of-life care should begin as soon as needed and can last a few days, months, or years.
People in lots of different situations can benefit from the end of life care. Some of them may be expected to pass away within the next few hours or days. Others receive the end of life care over many months.
People are considered to be approaching the end of life when they are likely to pass away within the next 12 months, although this is not always possible to predict.
People with severe terminal illnesses, such as cancer, dementia, motor neuron disease, and the fragile and old, fall into this category.
Most will have other conditions, such as being in danger of dying due to an emergency, such as a sudden accident or stroke.
Caring for The Person and The Family
Caring for a loved one towards the end of life may be emotionally and physically draining, particularly for the primary caregiver and family.
A caregiver service will allow the family to refuel, work, conduct errands, or simply take a break. Respite Care offers assistance and comforts your loved ones and helps families make the most of their limited time together by taking care of tasks like:
Laundry and light cleaning up.
Shopping for groceries and cooking meals
Running errands
Companionship, social support, and just someone to chat to
Bathing and toileting assistance
Assistance with activities of daily living, dressing, and grooming
To summarize, deciding to begin End of Life Care is a hard choice. It is a choice most people will have to make at some stage. The sadness that comes from a loved one can sometimes be lessened by ensuring the comfort and dignity of loved ones in their final days. It is the kindest thing that can be done for them as they approach the end of their lives.
Comfort Keepers’ expert caregivers will help your loved one stay in their home for as long as possible with dignity, companionship, and freedom. Contact us to see how we can help.
