In the United States, the population of adults over 65 is increasing faster than ever, which leads to more people needing care services like hospice. In fact, over 1.6 million Americans need hospice care each year. However, only 7 in 10 Americans know a little bit about hospice but still aren't sure of the benefits of this type of care.
If you or a loved one is living with a severe illness, you may be weighing your options for care. While hospitalization may sometimes be necessary, many people don't realize that palliative care at home can be a great option.
As a family, you have a decision to make regarding palliative care for your loved one. It can be an overwhelming experience - do you take them to a clinic or keep them at home?
In this blog post, we'll discuss more about palliative care at home and the benefits it can bring.
Understanding Palliative Care: What It Is and What It Involves
Palliative care can offer many emotional, physical, and practical benefits to those suffering from a terminal illness. It helps to control symptoms, improve the quality of life, and provide dignity in the final stages of life.
Palliative care at home offers families numerous advantages. First, it provides comfort to patients while they stay in their familiar home environment.
It's beneficial for caregivers to be educated in providing palliative care. This allows them to better care for their loved ones. Knowing the options for care can help families make informed decisions that can increase their loved one's quality of life and independence.
Patients and their families can work with medical teams to customize the needed services. This allows for the most comprehensive and individualized care. Palliative care at home can offer those in need hope, love, and support.
Palliative care is specialized medical care that aims to alleviate pain and improve a patient's quality of life with serious illnesses. It is available to people of all ages and can be provided alongside curative treatment or as the focus of care.
At Comfort Keepers in Citrus Heights, our caregivers can help you navigate the different phases of palliative care. We'll also create a customized plan to meet your specific needs.
We will discuss how the plan is developed, how it is tailored to individual requirements, and how it evolves. Additionally, we have experience and expertise in providing dementia care for patients and Alzheimer's disease care, as well as end-of-life care services.
Benefits of Choosing Palliative Care at Home
Palliative care is an important option to consider when seeking care for a loved one at the end of life. It provides end-of-life caregiver services in the comfort of your home.
There are many benefits that include:
Experienced Healthcare Staff
Palliative care at home consists of a team of healthcare professionals, including:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Social workers
- Home health aides
- Spiritual Care
- Chaplains
All of these staff provide the necessary support for patients in the comfort of their homes.
Symptom Management
This type of care focuses on providing relief from symptoms such as:
- Pain
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
Staff will manage these symptoms while improving the quality of life for patients and families.
Another benefit of palliative care at home includes a better understanding of the patient’s illness and potential treatment options.
The palliative care team can offer unique insights and ideas for symptom management.
Emotional Support
The team can provide social and emotional support to both the patient’s family and the patient. They can also provide valuable resources during this difficult time.
Affordable
Costs are also beneficial, as in-home palliative care is often more financially feasible than hospital-based care.
Remain at Home
Finally, coordinating the patient’s care at home can improve their overall experience. This is because they can remain in a comfortable and familiar environment.
In-home palliative care is an excellent option for patients who prefer to receive care in their homes.
Comfort Keepers provides in-home palliative care services. These services include support for patients with dementia, Alzheimer's care, and other advanced illnesses.
Our trained caregivers can provide:
- Medication management
- Mobility assistance
- Personal care
- Meal preparation
- Companionship
We can also work with the patient's healthcare team to develop a personalized care plan that addresses their unique needs and preferences.
The Role of Caregivers in Providing Palliative Care at Home
Palliative care at home is an increasingly common option for patients and families managing difficult decisions related to serious illness.
Palliative care should not be seen as a “hospice” option. It's actually a multidisciplinary approach that eases suffering and improves the quality of life for patients.
It focuses on relieving physical, psychological, and spiritual suffering and providing emotional support. It often involves pain and symptom management, home care, and spiritual guidance. It also connects families with community services/resources.
Thinking through and understanding palliative care options provides individuals and families with greater control over their care decisions. Knowing that loved ones have access to the best possible care and support gives them peace of mind.
The medical team works together with the patient's family or caregivers to offer support, advice, and guidance.
This may include discussions on end-of-life care or support for spiritual and emotional needs. If all involved clearly understand the palliative care options, they can make the most of the available care.
They can also better deal with any physical, emotional, and spiritual distress that may arise.
Choose Comfort Keepers for Your Palliative Care Needs
Palliative care at home can significantly benefit the patient and their family. In palliative care, the focus is on providing comfort and relief from pain instead of attempting a cure for the underlying condition.
If you or a loved one require palliative care at home care services, Comfort Keepers in Citrus Heights is the right choice for your palliative care needs.
Our experience and expertise, customized care plans, caregiver selection process, and commitment to providing the highest quality of care make us an ideal choice for palliative care services.
Don't hesitate to contact us today to learn more about our in-home care services and how we can help you.
