Is death less traumatic if you have time to prepare for it? Or is it better if it comes without warning? This is a debate about which there may never be declared a winner. The hospice nurses, social workers and other team members at Suncrest Home Health and Hospice of Phoenix are well-trained in grief counseling, and we work to help patients and their families cope with hospice care and the dying process.
Making Preparations
One reason death is feared is because of its permanence. Anything that might be left unsaid or undone will remain that way forever. For that reason, many people believe that having some knowledge of when you are going to die can be helpful. You can get your affairs in order, make sure your will is up to date, contact old friends to say goodbye.
But while preparing for death has its conveniences, it has its drawbacks as well.
Having a terminal diagnosis is not the same as knowing exactly when you will die. And that can cause many months of acute stress for both the patient and their loved ones. Saying goodbye to family and friends can be difficult and painful, and each parting is hard because you can’t be sure you will ever see each other again.
Hospice Care in Phoenix
Having a relative in hospice care can be stressful for family members, especially if they are working full-time jobs, taking care of young children or dealing with other responsibilities. They may agonize over whether to skip a visit to the patient when they are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, tortured by the thought that they may not ever get the chance to see them again.
Another reason a long illness can cause anguish is because people often use this opportunity to unburden themselves of secrets. These can relate to parentage, faithfulness, money and other extremely sensitive topics. Learning these secrets can cause pain and alter relationships forever. But sometimes patients or family members believe revealing these secrets is necessary.
Grief Can Be Devastating
At the same time, sudden death can also be traumatic. If your loved one has been healthy and well, you expect that they will continue to live a long time. But if they are involved in an accident or suffer a massive heart attack or stroke causing their death immediately, it’s a shock.
This kind of sudden blow — without even the chance to say goodbye — can feel overwhelming.
Healthy Grieving
While grief is never easy or quick, it’s necessary, and it eventually abates. The team at Suncrest of Phoenix helps patients and their family members deal with grief every day in a healthy way that helps bring meaning to the dying process.
For more information about hospice care in Phoenix, contact Suncrest Home Health and Hospice today.
