When your loved one is approaching the end of their life, handling their care needs can be a challenge. At this stage, hospice care can be essential in offering your loved ones comfort, compassion, and support.
Hospice care in a personal care home is an option that focuses on caring for older adults in the last phases of life in a home-like environment. Whether you are considering hospice care for your loved one or would like to learn more about the benefits of hospice care, touring personal care communities can provide some guidance.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is a special type of care that provides medical, emotional, and spiritual support to people with terminal illnesses. The goal of hospice care is to help individuals manage their symptoms, pain, and discomfort so they can enjoy their final days with dignity and grace.
Hospice care focuses on the quality of life rather than the quantity of life.
Hospice Care in a Personal Care Home
Hospice care can be provided in a personal care community, and hospice care teams work closely with personal care team members to provide the necessary care, support, and resources to older adults and their families.
The team can include nurses, social workers, chaplains, and others who work together to manage your loved one’s symptoms, provide emotional support, and offer counseling and spiritual care.
What Services Are Available in Hospice Care?
Hospice care provides a wide range of services, including medical management, symptom relief, personal care, emotional support, and spiritual care.
To care for your loved one’s medical needs, a community may provide medication management, medical equipment, and pain management. Personal care services can include bathing, grooming, and other daily living needs.
Hospice care typically also includes emotional support, provided through counseling, family visits, and social events, while spiritual care is offered through chaplaincy services, spiritual support groups, and other resources.
Who Qualifies for Hospice Care?
If your loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness with 6 months or less of life expectancy, your family can consider if hospice care is right for them. Residents who choose hospice care may opt to focus on the quality of their life, not the quantity.
Residents who live in a personal care home can choose hospice care and receive personalized, comforting care as they focus on spending time with friends and family.
Benefits of Hospice Care in a Personal Care Home
Hospice care in a personal care home offers numerous benefits to individuals and their families. People in hospice care can receive quality care in a home-like environment that is comforting, familiar, and supportive.
Your loved one can also benefit from an individualized care plan that meets their specific needs and preferences, and your family can receive ongoing support and education from hospice care team members.
Enhancing Quality of Life
Hospice care in a personal care home is focused on enhancing the quality of life for people by providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support. It helps ease any discomfort and pain residents may experience and provides the opportunity to spend the last of their days in the meaningful company of friends and family.
Providing Specialized Care
People receiving hospice care in a personal care home have access to specialized care provided by a team of healthcare professionals. These team members are trained to provide expert care, compassion, and support. They are available to provide care whenever needed, so older adults receive the care they need as their condition changes.
Offering Comfort & Support
Hospice care provides much-needed comfort and support to individuals who are at the end of their life. This may include pain and symptom management, help with daily routines, and specialized services such as massage or music therapy. Hospice care can also provide families with emotional support and counseling during this difficult time.
Respecting Dignity & Independence
Hospice care respects the dignity and independence of older adults. This type of care is centered around a person’s needs and preferences, and it honors the wishes of the individual and their family. Hospice teams work closely with families to create a customized care plan tailored to their loved one’s needs and desires.
Talk About Hospice Care Early
No family wants to consider that hospice care may become necessary for your loved one. Choosing hospice care in a personal care home can provide comfort and compassion to our loved ones during their final days.
Visit Juniper Village at Lebanon for a tour and discuss hospice care options in the event that your loved one needs it in the future. Hospice care can make a significant difference in the quality of life of our loved ones during a challenging time. Build the right care team and contact us today.