Sometimes it is hard to realize that your loved one is in need of hospice care. Why? Admitting that the patient needs hospice care means admitting that there is a short time left to live. How long does a hospice patient live? Hospice, by definition, is for those patients who have 6 months or less time to live due to a terminal illness. No matter how hard it is, you should recognize the signs as soon as possible to improve the quality of life for your loved one.
Hospice Care Improves The Quality of Life
Hospice care is for patients of any age who unfortunately got a terminal illness and are in the late stages. This type of specialized care helps manage symptoms, control pain, and reduce the stress of the patients. No wonder, that hospice care is quite flexible, being provided both in facilities and at home, depending on the caregivers’ preference and the patients’ condition. The hospice team develops individualized plans of care for the patient, aiming to improve the patient’s quality of life. If provided soon enough, hospice care also tends to lengthen the life expectancy of the patient. How to understand when the time for hospice care is? Let’s discuss some of the signs you must notice.
Signs for hospice care
There are several signs indicating the need for hospice care. Here are the most vivid ones:
- Frequent hospitalization with no change in the condition of the patient.
- Unexplained weight loss due to reduced desire to eat.
- Spending more and more time in bed.
- Frequent falls and uncontrolled pain.
- Inability to perform daily tasks such as eating or going to the bathroom.
Even with aggressive medical treatments, hospice patients have experienced a rapid decline in health over the last couple of months.
When noticing some of the above-mentioned signs, you need to consult with your doctor and schedule hospice care.
Final NOTE
Hospice care is great medical care for both patients and caregivers. Hospice assists in controlling the pain and improving the quality of life of the patient. During the process, the patients are improving their quality of life, while the caregivers have their stress reduced. To provide hospice care on time and lengthen the patient’s life expectancy, the caregiver should pay attention to the red flags and schedule the hospice care as soon as possible.
If you need to choose hospice care, MD Choice Hospice Care is here to assist you.
Feel free to contact us. Take care of you and your relatives.