No one likes to think about losing a loved one. This being so, it’s no surprise that many families in Fremont and the Bay Area delay discussions about hospice care. Often, people wait until the end is just days or weeks away, but terminally ill patients can receive hospice services for several months.
How do you know when it’s time to consider hospice?
As hospice care is all about enhancing a patient’s quality of life, you’ll want to give your aging relative ample time to enjoy the benefits. If you’re already wondering if you should call for a hospice consult, there’s a good chance your loved one is already eligible for specialized care services. But while each person’s final journey is unique, knowing the common end-of-life signs can help you determine when to move forward.
Physical Signs of the End of Life
When someone diagnosed with a terminal illness starts to decline in health and further curative treatment isn’t an option, it may be time for hospice care. However, since there are differences in the progression of different diseases – and experiences can vary wildly from patient to patient – it can be helpful to consider common physical signals that the end is near.
If your loved one is dealing with any of the following, hospice care may be appropriate:
- Frequent symptom flare-ups or recurrent infections
- Regular hospitalizations or trips to the emergency room
- Uncontrollable pain, nausea, vomiting or shortness of breath
- Decreasing alertness and an increase in time spent sleeping
- Inability to perform daily self-care tasks without assistance
- Incontinence, or the loss of urinary or bowel control
- A rapid decline in health even with aggressive treatment
- Weight loss due to a decreasing desire to eat and drink
These end-of-life signs are fairly easy to identify, but in making the decision on when to discuss hospice care with your loved one, how they’re doing physically isn’t the only consideration. For some people, changes in mental and emotional health can point to the need for hospice services in Fremont or the Bay Area.
Mental and Emotional End-of-Life Signs
Terminal illnesses can take a definite toll on the body, but the effects of enduring a disease go beyond the physical level. Many people who are struggling with advanced cancer, lung disease, dementia, kidney failure, heart disease and other incurable conditions also have underlying mental and emotional concerns. When that’s the case, looking into hospice care sooner rather than later may be the best way to ensure that the end-of-life journey is as comfortable as possible.
If your lovez one is doing any of the following, a hospice care consult is a good idea:
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Making out-of-character requests or statements
- Having difficulty following conversations
- Experiencing hallucinations, delusions or visions
- Displaying signs of confusion and restlessness
Giving personal belongings to others and making funeral plans may also indicate that someone is suffering mental or emotional distress. Seeing these types of changes in your loved one can be gut-wrenching, but looking into hospice care will show them that you truly care and want to provide the support they need.
Is It Time to Consider Hospice?
Putting your loved one in hospice care doesn’t mean you’re giving up on them. Quite the contrary — hospice services in Fremont and the Bay Area are designed to help those that are terminally ill live their final days to the fullest. So while there’s no set timeline as to when to call for a consult, timing does matter, as you’ll want your loved one to take advantage of the benefits for as long as possible.
If you’ve noticed any of the end-of-life signs we mentioned above, now’s the right time to have a talk about hospice care. But, you could discuss the matter at any point after your loved one receives a terminal diagnosis.
For anyone who is expected to live for six months or less, hospice care services are fully covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private health plans. If a doctor has made that prognosis regarding your loved one, they should meet the requirement – but to enter hospice, a person needs to make the decision to focus on quality of life rather than aggressive treatment for their terminal illness.
Hospice care is centered around patient comfort at the end of life, not on disease. Services are designed to meet each person’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs, and families receive support during the final journey and after their loved one has passed. But while all of that may convince you it’s time for hospice, the decision is very personal. And, your loved one may not be ready to take the step.
Our advice? If you believe that your aging relative could benefit from hospice care, talk the idea over. Then, arrange for a consult with the Suncrest Hospice Team – we can answer your loved one’s questions and provide reassurance about the positive aspects of entering hospice. For more information on our hospice care in Fremont and the Bay Area of California, contact us today.
