In-home care services can work together with hospice care to help meet a variety of needs.
If you asked individuals who are within the last six months of their lives specifically what is most important to them, you are very likely to hear replies such as:
- Retaining control over which services will be provided
- To be free from pain
- Spiritual and emotional support
- To remain at home
In-home hospice care meets all of these needs and more, especially when paired with non-medical home care services, like those offered by Home With You Senior Care. Together, hospice and home care providers can ensure physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical needs are all addressed, in accordance with the care recipient’s final wishes.
Hospice and Home Care Meet Physical Needs
In the final stages of a person’s life, fatigue, pain, difficulty with breathing, digestive issues, seizures, skin irritation, and various other types of physical distress might occur. It is essential to know how to read the person’s nonverbal cues and take the appropriate steps to help ease symptoms. A hospice nurse provides medical relief, while a home caregiver can:
- Help the person practice relaxation techniques such as aromatherapy, soft music, reading aloud in a comforting voice, etc.
- Offer engaging distractions, such as playing a game or cards together, working on an art project, or looking through photo albums
- Provide companionship so that the person knows she or he is not alone
Additionally, the care team will closely monitor the individual’s skin. Dry skin and pressure sores are common, and can be eased through regular repositioning, using lip balm to soothe dry lips and ice chips if the inside of the mouth is dry, and making sure skin stays moisturized and clean.
Hospice and Home Care Meet Emotional/Spiritual Needs
Being available to listen to whatever the person wants to discuss can be an enormous comfort. A caregiver can be there for as much or as little time as needed to enable the person to express any thoughts and feelings nonjudgmentally. Our caregivers understand the importance of never correcting or arguing with the person, or trying to change his or her thoughts or feelings in any way. The hospice provider and in-home caregiver will also respect and honor the person’s spiritual beliefs and needs, and help provide whatever brings the individual comfort.
Hospice and Home Care Meet Practical Needs
Minimizing the burden of simple, everyday tasks is an incredibly important service for families. It frees up valuable time for them to spend with the individual receiving hospice care. Based on the family’s wishes, our caregivers can help with:
- Laundry and housekeeping services
- Preparing meals
- Personal hygiene care, such as bathing/showering or bed baths, oral and hair care, incontinence care, and much more
If someone you love is receiving hospice or palliative care, contact Home With You Senior Care at 410-756-0959 for free in-home consultation. We are here to answer questions any time, and to share more information on how our Ellicott City elder care services can enhance quality of life for both the person in need of care, and for you as well. For a full list of all of the communities where we offer our award-winning home care services, please visit our Locations Served page.