What to do When Your Loved One is in Hospice

Blog Category: Hospice

If your loved one is now in hospice care, your mind may be flooded with questions. Here’s a comprehensive list of things to consider doing when you have a loved one in hospice.

Balance With Caregiving

Chances are that you have been the caregiver to your loved one in hospice or have increased the attention you give them at this time. Besides learning from this experience to plan for your own future care, it’s important to implement strategies to help you balance your life with caregiving:

Coping With Grief

When your loved one is in hospice, you’re likely to experience anticipatory grief. This type of grief is the mourning process you go through as your loved one is expecting their death. Common signs of anticipatory grief include:

  • Anger and resentment
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Emotional numbness
  • Fatigue
  • Fear
  • Forgetfulness
  • Guilt

If you are working through anticipatory grief, consider these healthy coping mechanisms:

  • Express your pain with family, friends, and healthcare professionals
  • Stay educated on your loved one’s condition and available resources
  • Take care of your physical and emotional health
  • Spend the time you have together now
  • Practice love, forgiveness, and saying goodbye while your loved one is here

Plan Ahead and Manage Legal Matters

It’s important to gather and talk paperwork while you have time with your loved one so there’s no misunderstanding or conflict later. While it can be awkward talking to your loved ones about their finances, here are the things to plan ahead for and legal matters to manage:

  • Establish your loved one’s living will to outline their medical wishes to guide healthcare if they become mentally or physically unable to make decisions.
  • Establish your loved one’s health care power of attorney or health care proxy, which are forms that designate a person to act on their behalf when necessary. You’ll also want to make copies of this and make these wishes clear to family and medical staff on your loved one’s care team.
  • Establish your loved one’s do-not-resuscitate order (DNR), which tells healthcare professionals not to attempt CPR or defibrillation if their heart stops beating.
  • Consider life support options for your loved one, such as artificial nutrition or tube feeding, hemodialysis, mechanical ventilation, and intravenous hydration.
  • Talk to your loved one about their assets and wishes for their funeral and burial.
  • Look into your company’s bereavement policy and what kinds of support you will need after your loved one passes away.

Make Every Moment Count

When you have resources like healthcare professionals and holistic comfort care all available under one roof, it’s easy to take advantage of the benefits of hospice to make every moment count with your loved one. You’ll both be able to process emotions and important matters the way you want to so you can have a plan, grieve well, and make as many memories as possible with the time you’ve been given.

Learn more about our individualized comprehensive care program designed to meet the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of our patients here.

At Life Enriching Communities (LEC), we’re committed to ensuring patrons feel well-equipped to plan their future and age how they wish. Explore more resources on senior living or contact us today to learn more about our legacy of services and programs that bring meaning and purpose to every stage of life.