What To Expect With Elderly Hospice Care

If you have a loved one that is approaching the end of their life, you might have been told that it is time to start researching elderly hospice care. Don't make the mistake of assuming that hospice care is just for those with a terminal illness. It is for anyone that is really close to the end of their life. It is a great thing to get your loved one set up with because of all of the things a hospice nurse can help with. To help you know just what it is you might expect from this type of care, you will want to read through the following.

Better Pain Management

The main purpose of hospice care is to make the end days as peaceful and pain-free for the patient as possible. This is done by carefully considering the best medication, or multiple medications, to ease their pain and suffering. They might sleep a little more thanks to finally being out of pain. Since there is no concern about addiction because this is an end-of-life care plan, the limits on the amount of pain medications, such as morphine, are a little more relaxed.

Someone That Understands

A lot of people find that they do not know what to expect as their loved one approaches the end of their life. They might not understand why a dying patient doesn't want to eat anymore or why they might have sudden bursts of energy. It can be a confusing time for many family members, but it can be a little easier when there is a hospice nurse available. They can answer questions and help make the transition from life to death a lot easier for the patient and their concerned loved ones.

Talk with your loved one's primary care provider. They might be able to give you a referral to an elderly hospice care company. You could also call their insurance company and ask for the names and numbers of hospice care facilities that are nearby and that are covered under their plan. You might want to call around to a few different places in order to find the one that best suits your needs and that has room in their schedule for another hospice patient. The sooner you get this type of end-of-life care set up, the sooner your elderly loved one will start to get some relief.

For more information, contact a local company, like Visiting Angels.