End-of-Life Care Options: Choosing the Right Path for Your Loved One   

Caring for a loved one who is facing a degenerative illness is a complex journey filled with intense emotions. Preparing for a close one’s passing can be challenging for every family member, including the patient, and it may hinder medical decision-making. Thus, it is vital to look for professional healthcare advice about end-of-life care options near you in Vero Beach to give your loved one care, companionship, and support while reaching the end of their life. 

Although we generally avoid thinking about a family member passing away, there may be times when it is necessary to be at peace with the idea of your loved one passing and focus more on supporting and giving them a high quality of life on their remaining days. Of course, you and your elderly member don’t have to make this decision alone; you have the right to ask your doctor about their life expectancy, if curative treatments are available, or end-of-life care options. 

This life expectancy estimate is often referred to as the prognosis, and understanding it is crucial so you and your loved one, if they’re conscious, can begin planning for end-of-life care. So don’t hesitate to ask their doctor for their opinions about the prognosis, whether or not they choose to get curative treatments, as often as necessary for you and your family member to thoroughly understand their situation. 

End-of-life care typically includes different activities, depending on the patient’s overall health state and their wishes about how they want to be cared for. These activities may include managing pain and symptoms, ensuring physical safety, personal care, or voluntarily stopping life-sustaining measures. However, they can also be grouped under palliative and hospice care options. 

Hospice vs. Palliative Care: Which can be better?

This decision depends on several factors, such as the severity of the illness, the prognosis, and, most importantly, your close one’s desires and feelings regarding how to proceed after the diagnosis. Likewise, it’s essential to fully understand these end-of-life care options and their scope before leaning for one or another. 

What is palliative care, and how does it help your loved one?

Palliative care is specialized medical care that also focuses on improving the quality of life of the patient and their family by relieving the symptoms and stress of serious illnesses. Your loved one can choose palliative care alongside curative treatments or for it to be the only medical care. 

Palliative care is provided by a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and other specialists who provide medical and caring support and ensure the patient’s overall wellness. A crucial aspect of hospice vs. palliative care is that palliative care is appropriate for any age and at any stage of a serious illness. In contrast, hospice care relies on the patient’s prognosis. However, palliative care typically includes the same services as hospice care. 

Palliative care can be an option when planning for end-of-life care if your loved one is facing a life-threatening or chronic illness such as kidney disease or Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

Still, palliative care is suited for any person suffering from a serious chronic illness, whether as one of their end-of-life care options or a way to relieve pain and stress while they treat the disease. 

What is hospice care, and how does it help your loved one?

Hospice care specializes in attending to patients’ needs to enhance their quality of life as much as possible during their remaining days. Its goal is to provide comfort rather than cure the illness. A professional caregiver team offers this type of care, giving you and your loved one care and support while they end their journey, either in your home or a hospice facility. 

You and your family member may consider this option when planning for end-of-life care if they don’t wish to pursue curative treatments, whether at the start of the diagnosis or later into the treatment. Hospice can also be an option if they want to focus on their quality of life rather than curing or if their pain becomes intolerable.  However, a doctor must verify a prognosis of 6 months or less for your loved one to be eligible for hospice. 

Hospice care provides the patient  and their family with: 

• Medical care (medication, supplies, and equipment).
• Pain management.
• Personal care, including bathing, grooming, and dressing.
• Counseling about daily living tasks like financial planning, health care wishes, and tapping additional benefits from other agencies. 
• Emotional support in end-of-life care
• Education about end-of-life
• Spiritual comfort according to their values and beliefs. 

If you’d like to learn more about end-of-life care options, contact a reliable agency such as Solux Health to discuss hospice with your loved one and the rest of their family caregivers if it would be a good option for them. 

How to choose the right one for your loved one?

Planning for end-of-life care depends mainly on the patient’s goals, the level of care required, and the resources available in the end-of-life care facility. Thus, if the patient is mentally capable of making decisions, involving them in these discussions is crucial. Ask your loved one about their preferences about how and where they wish to spend their remaining time and discuss them with your healthcare provider to choose the right option for them. 

If, unfortunately, you can’t talk with your loved one due to their condition, putting yourself in their shoes can be greatly helpful. What was important to them? How did they live? Did they ever express any last wishes? Prioritizing their best interests is also beneficial when looking for end-of-life care options. Ask yourself, will they be in pain if I choose to go for a treatment? Will their quality of life be good or entirely depend on another person?

Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to your family and discuss which option you think will be the best for your elderly, one that meets their healthcare needs and provides both parties with emotional support in end-of-life care. If you can’t agree, you may need a mediator to help you all find common ground and avoid fights.

Compassionate end-of-life care services for your elderly right at their homes in Vero Beach

Caregivers and healthcare professionals can provide end-of-life care options in different settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and your loved one’s home. 

Home-based end-of-life care has multiple benefits for older people, such as the comfort of remaining in their familiar setting and enjoying autonomy over their visitors, environment, and care. However, it depends heavily on the required level of care and the patient’s care wishes.

At Solux Health Solutions, we’re dedicated to enhancing our patients’ lives while they reach the end of their journeys, providing them with personalized support and care. We approach end-of-life care holistically to cover all your loved one’s needs, from pain relief to constant companionship. Likewise, we provide you and your elderly emotional support in end-of-life care to help you navigate these challenging times. 

Call us at +1 772-924-4431 to learn more about our end-of-life care services. We’re open 24/7 and serve Vero Beach and its surrounding areas in Indian River County!