Signs It Might Be Time To Consider Hospice Care For An Elderly Parent
Caring for an aging parent can be stressful, and often one of the most stressful aspects is knowing when it is time to seek care. Aging parents who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness will benefit from outside help, including in-home hospice care. However, the most confusing aspect of hospice care is to recognize the signs that it is time to consider palliative care.
Frequent and Increasing Trips to the Emergency Room
When an individual with a life-threatening illness begins to near the end of their life, it is not uncommon for them to need to visit the emergency room more often. This sometimes occurs because the individual is still living at home and not receiving the quality of care the individual requires. In addition to placing your elderly parent in potential financial peril because of the excessive medical bills, there are several potential infections that can be found in emergency rooms.
Elderly people, especially those who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, such as cancer, are more susceptible to infection. While in at-home hospice care, your elderly parent can receive the care they require to ensure they are as comfortable as possible.
Issues with Performing Common, Everyday Tasks
Unfortunately, as an elderly parent's disease progresses and your parent becomes less mobile, it can be difficult for the parent to perform simple, everyday tasks, such as bathing themselves or remembering to take medications. You want to help your parent as much as possible, but unfortunately, you are not able to provide a consistent level of care your parent requires.
A palliative caregiver can help your parent perform everyday tasks and assist you in creating a safe environment for your parent. For example, your hospice care provider can help you create a medication schedule, install grab bars in the bathroom, and provide tips to help make your home safer.
You Are Feeling Overwhelmed as a Caregiver
An individual who enters hospice does so because they are ill and want to increase their quality of life for the time they have left. Unfortunately, if your parent has a severe illness and is in pain or has symptoms that are becoming increasingly difficult to manage, you might feel overwhelmed. A hospice care provider can help you properly and lovingly care for your parent while allowing you to enjoy the time you have left with your parent.
For many children of aging parents, it is difficult to know when to seek the help of an at-home hospice assistance provider. If you have any more questions, contact a hospice care provider or your parent's doctor.
