When our loved one is dying, you want to make sure he is as comfortable as possible, and that he receives the care he needs and deserves. When one has a terminal illness, that does not mean care for that person and the disease stops. Even if a disease is incurable, careful attention and treatment can prolong one’s life, and make the quality of life so much better. The right care from an agency you truly trust can ease your worry and soften the situation, if only a little. It helps to know your loved one is safe, comfortable, and receiving the necessary attention. When you are seeking hospice care, look for an in-home care agency like Right At Home that actually specializes in hospice care. President Dale Anderson devotes training and resources to the careful practice of hospice care, rather than simply sending out nursing assistants without the proper training.
Palliative Care
Like nurses and doctors that work in hospices, caregivers trained in hospice care learn something called palliative care. This refers to the type of medical care that treats one’s symptoms without actually working to cure the disease – a care implemented in cases of incurable, terminal diseases. The point is to prolong the patient’s life, but to not just add physical time. Palliative care works to actually make those days, weeks, or months actual extensions of life, with real quality. That means as little pain as possible, comfort, and the ability to enjoy each day.
An agency would send a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse to perform palliative care. These nurses would offer the type of care given at a hospice, they would monitor vitals, help maintain healthy levels and functions of the body, give medications, and consult with your loved one’s physician on any changes. These hospice care nurses are always on call, whether they are live-in or not, sensitive to the possibly dire need that a terminal patient may have. They will provide normal, scheduled hours of care, and they are prepared for emergencies that may occur outside of those hours.
There is more than just palliative care to hospice care. There are also options to have housework services provided, as well as meal preparation, personal and hygienic care, and even companionship and social care, which involves everything from stimulating conversation to playing a game to going to the movies. The agency can bring people in to plan activities to make the days that much brighter. These services may be offered by the nurse performing the palliative care, or they may be performed separately by a CNA, or certified nursing assistant. The CNA is trained to handle any medical emergencies if something should ever go wrong on their watch, but their training lies mainly in personal and home care services.
The CNAs and hospice nurses, as well as the staff at the agency, are also trained to provide support to the patient and the patient’s family. People available for therapy and counseling to help you through this difficult time. Agencies like Right At Home are careful to hire quality individuals who truly care about their patients and the patients’ families. It’s not just “a job” to them. It is a matter of human life, and a life they care about and invest in.
These services are available in private homes, nursing homes, and hospitals. They can really make the difference between just getting by and actually improving the quality of life. They can help prolong life, and if you are going to prolong life, they try to make that time special.
