5 Signs Your Loved One Needs Hospice

Hospice is a non-traditional treatment for patients who have a terminal illness and 6 months of remaining life. But here comes the question: When is the right time your loved ones should apply for hospice. There are several signs you need to consider to switch from traditional curative treatment to hospice. Let’s discuss some of them.

Multiple hospitalizations

This is one of the red flags that the patient needs hospice. When curative treatment doesn’t give a positive result to the patients, making them go back and forth to the hospital, patients may start to feel anxiety and stress. They often prefer to stay home with their loved ones and enjoy their remaining life rather than suffer from invasive hospital treatments. Hospice care does not only provide that opportunity and try to make all the patients wants and needs into reality, but also has 24/7 service to address the symptoms of the patients when the crisis occurs.

Recurring infections.

When the patients’ health declines together with the stress experienced in the hospital, their immune system becomes fragile to new infections, such as skin infections, pneumonia, etc. Moreover, there are other side effects from antibiotics, leading to even worse scenarios. Hospice makes sure that the patient is in a safe family environment surrounded by the love and care of loved ones far from hospital infections.

Distressing Symptoms

Increases in pain, shortness of breath, and other distressing symptoms are also one of the signs the patients need hospice. This diminishes the patients’ quality of life, making their life miserable. As diseases and symptoms progress, the hospice team designs custom plans to control the symptoms and relieve pain.

Weakness in activities of daily living (ADLs)

The patients get so weak that they can’t perform even basic ADLs, like dressing or bathing. This implies that the patients do need hospice care to try to come back to normal life and perform their daily activities. Besides, the Hospice team can help with ADLs, so that you as a caregiver save time and energy.

Tired Caregivers

Patients are not only the ones suffering from a terminal illness; the caregivers suffer too. Caring for an ill loved one is one of the most challenging things one can encounter. Therefore, hospice provides services not only for the patients but also for caregivers. Even after the death of the patients, hospice takes care of the caregivers, helping them overcome stress.