Stress Awareness Month – Part 2: How Hospice and Palliative Helps Caregivers Caring for a Dying Loved One

Caregiving for a loved one during the dying process is an extremely stressful and emotionally taxing time in line. It’s very easy (and normal) to get stressed out and overwhelmed with the caregiving process. The good news is that hospice and palliative workers are here to help you cope and care for your loved one.

Hospice’s employ teams that are made up of doctors, nurses, social workers, pastoral care chaplains, volunteers, and bereavement counselors who are all available for you to lean on during your caregiving journey. 

Hospice Support Services 

When a loved one is dying, a family member may suddenly be thrust into the role of caregiver, often with no preparation or knowledge of what to expect. Hospice team members are there to support caregivers and provide them with information and answer their questions. They also give caregivers practical tips, advice, and strategies to cope with and manage their new role.

A lot of caregivers have reported that their worries relieved simply by knowing they weren’t alone during the process. Among the services available to caregivers provided by the hospice care team are:

  • Counseling
  • Being available to answer any questions the caregiver may have about hospice or palliative care 
  • Volunteer visits to allow you some time to run errands
  • Emotional support and understanding 
  • Spiritual care
  • Group therapy
  • Financial support
  • Respite visits

Most hospice and palliative care facilities will also offer bereavement support services that include:

  • Phone calls from a bereavement team
  • Informational brochures on grieving and loss
  • In-home support visits
  • Grief support groups
  • Memorial services
  • Memory quilts or other precious mementos

Practice Self-Care

While the hospice team is there for you 24/7 to answer any questions and help you with any needs, it’s still vital that you practice self-care during the caregiving process. You must ensure that you are eating properly, getting enough sleep, getting enough exercise, and making some time to do an activity that you enjoy (this can be as simple as putting on your favorite movie while you lie in bed with your loved one). As a caregiver, you play an extremely vital role in your loved one’s last days, and you can’t perform your duties to your best abilities when you don’t tend to your needs first.

Need Help? Contact us at Denver (303) 727-5709, Front Range  (720) 545-0800, Colorado Springs (719) 419-5595.

 

 

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