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Differences You Should Know Between Palliative and Hospice Care
When a loved one is diagnosed with an advanced stage of life-limiting illness, circumstances worsen for all. There are times when you see your loved one in distress. It may make you feel helpless because you put all your efforts into delivering quality care in the last few days.
In the remaining days, you want your loved ones to be in comfort and peace with a better quality of life. In the case of a terminal illness, care gets complicated because you know that no treatment can cure the condition. However, in serious condition, things do not worsen initially.
Understanding the Distinctiveness Between Palliative and Hospice Care
Understanding the difference between the two forms of care is necessary because it helps you select the appropriate form of care so that your loved one can get quality care in the remaining days. Remember that both forms of care aim to offer comfort and peace at home, and the goal is not to cure but to offer pain or symptom management.
Palliative Care
Palliative care refers to care when the individual is diagnosed with a severe illness. It can be at any stage of the disease that may or may not include curative treatment.
The goal is to offer pain or symptom management during emergency medical conditions. One can receive palliative care at hospitals, nursing homes, or homes.
What we have observed is that most individuals prefer to get palliative care at home. It is because of the comfort and love they receive from their family members. They provide emotional support, focusing on enhancing the quality of life.
The caregivers offering palliative care help in the decision-making so that family members and loved ones can choose the best treatment approach for themselves. We have also noticed that many major illnesses, like cancer, AIDS, and so on, get into advanced stages. At this stage, the palliative caregivers provide comfort care to the loved ones and boost confidence to prepare for hospice care.
Another advantage that comes with palliative care is care coordination. There is no care delay because the caregiver looks into everything, including communication. They help facilitate communication between loved ones, doctors, and family members. They address emotional needs and goals while focusing on care goals and advanced care planning. As a result, the family and loved ones feel confident and hope for better care planning with hospice care services.
Hospice Care
One gets hospice care services when they have reached the advanced stage of terminal illness and have six months or less to live.
The goal is to offer comfort care with symptom management, and the individual can decide to forgo curative care because it serves no purpose. In the advanced stage of terminal illness, the individual is highly focused on getting quality care.
The loved one chooses hospice care services to manage the symptoms of the condition. Hospice care also brings respite to the family caregivers who often feel overwhelmed while caring for loved ones. It happens mostly when the loved ones and family members decide to forgo curative treatment in the advanced stage of terminal illness.
In our experience, we have observed that hospice care helps loved ones get emotional support in the remaining days. The hospice care provider helps the families make the appropriate decision for the loved one if the latter decides to forego curative treatment.
If you are a family caregiver, we understand your pain, and you may feel burnout at the end. Many family caregivers feel depressed, and the constant thought of negativity affects their health.
As a result, they have challenges providing care for their loved ones. In such times, the hospice caregiver supports the family caregiver with some respite. They also help the family members by educating them more about the conditions so that they can also understand their roles in providing emotional support to their loved ones.
The goal is also to provide comfort with dignity and compassion. In the final days, the loved one can be at peace with the spiritual and emotional support of family and friends. The goal doesn’t end here; hospice care providers also ensure that the family members can cope with the loss after the loved one is gone. They offer support to the family members to cope with the pain till the end.
When to Choose Hospice Care?
If you are wondering when your loved ones should start hospice care, it is essential to note down the following points:
The right time to start hospice care is when:
- Your loved one has a limited ability to care for themselves.
- They get the evidence that no amount of curative treatment will help them get better in the future.
- Your loved one has six months or less to live.
- Your loved one needs professional support for pain and symptom management.
- The family caregivers feel overwhelmed, feeling that they do not spend time with loved ones in their remaining days.
However, it is crucial to check with the doctor’s opinion on whether your loved one needs palliative care or hospice care services.
Also, ask your loved one whether they are ready for the care service. There should be complete family involvement in the decision-making process.
Wrapping Up
Remember to keep open communication with the doctor to make the right decisions. The ultimate goal is to provide quality care at their place of comfort so that they do not feel anxious or burdened.
Are You Looking for Hospice Care Services in Arizona?
Trinity Medical Staffing and Homecare Agency offer the best hospice care services in Arizona to loved ones so that they can enjoy quality comfort care in the remaining days. We are here to support you till the end and after.
With the help of our team of experienced and qualified experts in international staffing, we will manage your needs from initial contact to the final contract.
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