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Hospice

Helping Your Family Become Comfortable with Hospice

Some patients find that the most difficult part of making end-of-life choices is informing family and close friends. Loved ones may be in denial about your illness or completely focused on aggressive treatment options. Some may even refuse to discuss the possibility of hospice care.

Understand that this is just part of their grieving process. It may take time for friends and relatives to come to terms with your entering hospice. Ultimately, the decisions about your end-of-life care are yours alone. If you’re concerned about how your family and friends will react to your choices, there are several steps you can take to ease the transition.

  1. Help Them Understand

Many people think of hospice as a physical place. The reality is that hospice care may be administered at any location. At Santé, our goal is to make you as comfortable as possible and help facilitate social time with your friends and family. Our hospice team—which includes physicians, RNs, social workers and home health aides—can administer care wherever you call home, whether that’s a nursing home, family residence or hospital. We also offer compassionate 24/7 care and emotional support for your loved ones.

Relatives and friends may worry they won’t see you anymore once you enter hospice care. By educating them about how hospice works, you can help assuage some of their fears. Inform your close friends and family members where you’ll be receiving hospice care, and if/when they can visit.

  1. Open a Dialogue

Honest and open communication is essential to creating positive end-of-life experiences. It can be difficult to discuss the possibility of hospice care with family and close friends. They may be in denial about the situation or completely focused on treatment options. However, doctors and other healthcare professionals recommend having these conversations in the earlier stages of a serious illness. By opening a dialogue early, you can give your relatives and friends the gift of time – not only longer opportunity to process the situation, but also more quality time spent with you.

  1. Involve Your Family in the Process

Many patients worry more about their families than they do themselves. It’s natural to want to shield your loved ones from pain or discomfort during this difficult time. However, many of them may find comfort in being involved in your decision-making process. Consider bringing your closest family members along for a tour of potential care facilities. Have them with you when you speak to Santé Hospice about compassionate care options. Loved ones who are involved in your decision-making process can feel more relaxed, included and in control.

Dealing with the possibility of loss is never easy. By discussing end-of-life care options with your loved ones and including them in the process, you can help them become more comfortable with the idea of hospice care. The result is increased peace of mind for yourself, and those you care about most. For information on Santé Hospice, call 480-748-4300 or CLICK HERE.

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