We are always concerned about the health of our loved ones, especially when they are diagnosed with a terminal illness. Many families call for hospice care services in the final stage without knowing that their loved ones can get the support they require in the initial phase, depending on the severity of their health. This additional specialized care aims to manage the symptoms of the condition and help the loved one with chronic pain management.
If you have been wondering how to know whether your loved one needs hospice care, here are the top signs you should look for.
Signs That Indicate Its Time For Hospice Care
Unexplained Weight Loss
There are sudden bodily changes when one is diagnosed with a terminal illness. So, an individual may have less desire to eat or have a light appetite. You may notice some common signs, such as minimal thirst and unusually low appetite. Therefore, take note of the weight of the loved one diagnosed with an illness. An abnormal decrease in appetite indicates that the body is slowing down and cannot digest the food properly. As a result of the slowing down of the body, an individual with a terminal illness spends more time sleeping and resting.
Diagnosed with A Life-Limiting Illness
People with life-limiting illnesses frequently face chronic pain and have breathing difficulties. These conditions psychologically affect individuals and their families. In hospice respite care services, you can focus on comfort and help them meet their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. Hospice care, otherwise known as Palliative care, aims to provide quality care to an individual with six months or less to live due to a terminal illness. This includes cancer, cardiac issues, memory issues like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, respiratory problems, stroke, the last stage of kidney and liver problems, degenerative neurological problems, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and so on.
Need Assistance to carry out daily tasks
Terminal illness affects physical well-being and mobility, the individual needs assistance to carry out their activities of daily living. Such activities include getting dressed, walking, eating, using bathrooms, and many more. Maintaining hygiene and personal care gets challenging as an individual diagnosed with a life-limiting illness faces difficulty carrying out daily tasks. With hospice care providers, your loved one will get the required assistance to carry out daily tasks and emotional support to deal with the situation.
Chronic Pain Management
As the conditions get severe, one deals with chronic pain. So, one requires proper medication and ample rest for chronic pain management. A person diagnosed with a terminal illness shows severe symptoms like discomfort, nausea, breathlessness, anxiety, and so on. Hospice care services help address symptoms and make the individual and their families feel comfortable in their final days. So, your loved one will get all the help that he or she requires to manage the pain and the symptoms of the disease.
Frequent visits to doctors
An individual diagnosed with a terminal illness needs to frequently visit hospitals. This seems physically and emotionally daunting for everyone. With hospice care management, you can reduce hospital visits and help your loved one live comfortably. The caregivers focus on quality care, offer assistance, and treat your loved one with dignity.
Are You Looking For Hospice Care Services in Silver Spring?
It is pretty emotional for an individual and their loved ones to opt for hospice care services at the final stage of illness. However, getting hospice care helps the loved one live with emotional, physical, social, and spiritual support. To know the benefits of hospice care, read our blog on the benefits of hospice care in the final stage.
If you know someone who needs hospice care in Silver Spring, get in touch with the care providers at Comfikare Homecare. Our caregivers are well-trained to offer emotional support and quality care to loved ones diagnosed with an illness.
To learn more about our hospice care services in Silver Spring, get in touch with us.