Providing Palliative or Hospice Care to Your Loved Ones

Having someone you love be diagnosed with a serious illness can be very difficult. Aside from the tide of emotions that arise after knowing that your loved one may be facing the last leg of their life’s journey, you would also have to decide on the best way to give your loved one the proper care and support they need. When dealing with a debilitating illness, palliative and hospice care are very important in providing your loved one good quality of life, as well as in helping you and the rest of your family cope with emotional stress.

While they have differences when it comes to the condition of the patient they are given to, both palliative and hospice care have the same goals: to provide the patient proper day-to-day care, give physical and emotional support to the patient’s family, and overall improve the quality of life during the days before the patient rests.

Finding the right professionals who can provide proper home health care in San Antonio, Texas is key to giving your loved one the quality of life they deserve. However, it is also important to have a grasp of how to give proper palliative and hospice care, so that you would be able to help make your loved one’s life more comfortable.

The following are important things to remember in giving proper palliative and hospice care in order to help keep your loved one comfortable:

• Keep the patient’s skin clean and dry at all times to prevent infection, rashes, and discomfort
• Oral care is very important for health and overall comfort. Make sure that your loved one’s teeth and gums are brushed at least twice a day with an adequate amount of toothpaste. Do not use a toothbrush with hard bristles as this may hurt your loved one’s gums.
• Encourage as much independence as possible. Offer your loved one some choices so that they are also active in their care.
• Ensure that the patient is well-hydrated throughout the day. Offer fluids such as water, fresh juices, and gelatin cups to your loved one, and do not just wait for them to ask because they’re thirsty—this means that they already are a little dehydrated. Limit caffeinated drinks such as coffee, soda, and tea, as these can cause dehydration.
• If your loved one is bed-ridden, assist them in changing positions often to prevent bed sores. If possible, encourage your loved one to get out of bed and to a chair for meals.

Give your loved ones the care and support they need, especially during the wintertime of their lives. Four Seasons Healthcare of Texas provides quality palliative and hospice care in San Antonio, Texas—done with a heart—that aim to keep your loved ones comfortable and at peace in the place near and dear to their hearts: home. We specialize in providing palliative and hospice services in senior care in San Antonio, Texas with well-crafted care plans that are tailored to the unique needs, condition, and lifestyle of each patient.