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End of Life Care

Potential Challenges of End of Life Care

End of life care is an important healthcare service that Santé provides for those nearing end of life. This type of care has many advantages including comfort care, pain management, and family support. However, end of life care is not without its challenges. Family may be resistant to a patient’s decision to end medical treatment. Caregivers may need respite to maintain their own mental and physical health. The team at Santé is here to help families and patients navigate these potential challenges. Here are a few to consider.

 

Patient Decides to End Medical Treatment

 

A patient may choose to stop medical treatment. This could be for a number of reasons, but for those nearing end of life, comfort becomes a priority. Many medications come with painful side effects. Keeping up with medical treatments can be exhausting both mentally and physically. For these reasons, a patient may decide that these side effects and schedules aren’t worth it. This can be a potential challenge for family members who want to prolong their loved one’s life rather than cultivating comfort in their last days.

 

Medications and Treatment No Longer Work

 

Sometimes medications and treatment plans no longer work. So instead of the patient deciding to end medical treatment, their illness decides for them. This is a potential hurdle for patients to come to terms with. Patients nearing end of life have many caregivers and health professionals making decisions for them. Often times, choosing to receive medical treatment is one of the last decisions they have to make. Having this taken away from them without warning can be challenging.

 

Caregiver Needs Respite Care

 

Caregiving is a mentally and physically draining role. When caregivers reach a point where they need a break, this can be a challenge. It’s not uncommon to utilize a variety of caregiving resources rather than just one. Often times family members aren’t aware that there are resources available to assist caregivers. Our respite care service is designed to temporarily take over caregiving duties and provide support to the primary caregiving relationship.

 

When the decision to receive comfort care is made, it involves a team of people. When a terminally ill patient is undergoing treatment, their care team usually includes doctors, nurses, caregivers, medical directors and family members. With this many people involved, there’s bound to be potential challenges when discussing a delicate topic like end of life care. Rely on the professionals at Santé to guide you to make the best decision for your family.

 

The Santé hospice team provides a comprehensive and compassionate range of services, including end of life care. If you’re interested in learning more about comfort care or visiting one of our care centers, call us at (480) 563-2402.

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