End of life care refers to the care and services provided to an individual during their expected final months of life. For some, the care may last six months or more. For others, the care may be much shorter. Regardless of the time involved, a senior requiring end of life care deserves dignity, respect, and understanding.
Why Utilize End of Life Care?
End of life care can be arranged in a number of different settings. Many seniors receive care in a hospital, assisted living home, or nursing facility. Most seniors desire to spend as much time in the comfort of their own home as they can. End of life caregivers work with the senior, their family, and a large number of agencies to ensure care and support are provided when and where your senior loved one needs them.
Palliative care is a specialized set of services designed to bring comfort and relieve suffering for a senior and their family members. A person does not need to be terminal to receive palliative care, but palliative care is a large and essential component of end of life care. In addition to pain management, a palliative care team strives to maximize communication issues while addressing emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical issues.
When end of life care is provided in the senior’s home, there are often extra considerations. Seniors want to look and feel their best, and they want their home to look its best as well. After all, they may be receiving some of their visitors for the final time. End of life care provides a number of non-medical supports to support the senior and their family during this difficult time. In addition to providing for the senior’s personal care (toileting, bathing, grooming, dressing, and so forth), caregivers can also take care of light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, running errands, etc.
In addition to the obvious benefits of keeping a senior looking and feeling their best, caregivers overseeing the daily living tasks of the household decrease stress, anxiety, and worry. This improves a senior’s peace of mind. It also gives the family an opportunity to spend valuable time with their loved on instead of taking care of the chores.
After your loved one passes, end of life caregivers often help family members with the emotional challenge of sorting, organizing, and moving the senior’s effects. They can also help with the necessary cleaning and tidying of the residence. As with all other care, the focus is on dignity, respect, and understanding.
