Hospice care is a step towards normalizing death when getting a cure is neither possible nor is the intent. It is all about getting the basics of hygiene, comfort, and safety right for a patient for someone, taking those final breaths toward the closure of life. Hospice is specially designed for a situation when the patient is not in a position to undergo any more treatments, and the focus is to maintain the quality of life to give them a send-off with dignity.

What is Hospice Care for the elderly?

At an older age, suffering from an incurable disease, one often experiences organ function slow downs, confining them to beds. Usually, it is when they go non-communicative, lose control over bowel movements, or need assistance. Hospice care, run by experienced professionals, is the best option for families. They provide a safe space with all required amenities like hospital beds, soft diets, round-the-clock nurses on duty, and caregivers to care for them with all their personal needs.

Understanding the benefits of hospice care for elderly patients and their families

Hospice Care is a boon for families struggling with it for their loved ones. Some of the benefits are stated below for a better understanding of the situation:

• Time factor: Hospice patients need round-the-clock attention and monitoring. Constant diaper changes, changing positions to avoid bed sores, cleaning them, and feeding them via rice tubes or mouth take a lot of dedication, time, and energy. Today families find it tough to offer that quantity of time out amidst their work schedules, family responsibilities, and financial liabilities.
• Experience Counts: Hospice is a team effort that has medical professionals, nutritionists, therapists, caregivers, and family members all on board with the mission of keeping the hospice elderly comfortable.
• Set routines: Hospice care under any facility banner has routines that make their whole day going, be it fixed meal times, spiritual talk sessions, music therapies, or grooming times. There is a sense of purpose given to each day.
• Medical supervision: Most elderly patients under hospice care have multiple health issues simultaneously fighting the body. The medication has to be on time, and pain needs management. Hospice care comes with expertise in caring for such patients with utmost care and precautions.
• The efficiency with medical equipment: Sometimes situations demand keeping them on oxygen, feeding through rice tubes, giving intravenous medicines, fixing suppositories for bowel movements, nebulizations, etc. Professionals have ease with handling these as compared to family members.
• Access to therapies: Hospice care can call out for a therapist’s help, as and when required for each, be it physiotherapy to ease pains, spiritual therapy, pet therapy, etc.

The unique challenges of providing hospice care at home to elderly patients

Hospice Care for elderly patients comes with its challenges and roadblocks. Any discomfort visibly seen by loved ones spins us into panic as a family. Breathing difficulties, refusals to eat, hallucinations, crankiness, and strange sounds from the throat leave us confused and concerned. We lack the understanding and patience that the hospice care team possesses and eventually get our stress levels up. The elders also are most stubborn in this phase if in senses. They may not listen, scream for no reason, or be in pain, and may spit out food and medicines. Managing these moods is not easy on nerves. A facility usually has hospital beds, air mattresses, and all emergency equipment available, like oxygen, catheters, suction, or likes, that a home may lack. Social interaction and mental stimulation are minimal at home as they are confined in rooms as the family has many other errands to attend to. The isolation becomes the final nail to the coffin, and the condition deteriorates with nobody’s fault.

How to choose the right hospice care provider for your elderly loved one?

The first thing to notice when looking for an assisted facility that offers Hospice care is its cleanliness. A clean and hygienic environment fulfills the basic need of anyone at the end of their life journey. Providers must have sufficient staff, caregivers, or medical professionals, for care and monitoring at every step. They should be able to display a good understanding of the interventions planned for individual cases in terms of therapies, interactions, activities, etc. Compassion seen in staff goes a long way in keeping your loved one happy. See to it there are mechanisms to intimate and process further in case of eventual death, be it ambulance facilities, fulfilling final wishes, or cleaning up. Ensure they allow loved ones to share quality time with the patient during the last days.

Why is PapayaCare the best option for senior hospice care?

PapayaCare assisted living facility, has seven years of experience in various care, like hospital recovery, memory care, palliative care, and senior hospice care. They have a facility that is under surveillance cameras for monitoring the movement and well-being of residents. There is a high-dependency unit under 24*7 medical supervision with all emergency equipment for critical residents. The facility can arrange therapies as required and have staff to keep them engaged through activities, conversations, or just being around as a companion. The team has experience when it comes to handling different situations in the final stages, be it a special diet, different ways of feeding, or keeping them engaged. The rooms have huge windows with views of serene locations to keep them calm and at ease.

Conclusion

Hospice care for the elderly may be the last walk toward sunset, but one can cruise through with little help. It is okay to have the experts handle it, as the priority is your aging loved one’s comfort and quality of life. Everyone deserves the best chance at life in the best way possible with their dignity intact.