Reasons Caregivers Should Not Feel Guilty About Calling Home Hospices

Caregivers often feel guilty and ashamed asking for help, especially when it comes to the well-being of their loved ones. While the consensus is that caregivers are generally qualified to take care of their elder family members, the fact is that there are still many technicalities that only professionals can manage.

This is even more prevalent when the psychological and mental aspect of the patient comes into play, much so that no amount of understanding and training can prepare a family member from handling the whole situation. Asking for help from hospice not only sustains the mental health of the caregiver but additional support and relief to their loved one.

If you happen to find yourself in the same difficult situation and hesitant to call for assistance, perhaps the following pointers may help ease your mind. While not all of them may be applicable in your situation, some of them can reassure you that additional help provides many benefits.

Benefits of Calling Home Hospices

1. They Know How to Implement Pain Relief. Nothing can be more heart-wrenching than seeing your loved ones in pain. This is even amplified by the fact that they’re already in their ripe old age, and they have no break when it comes to their underlying conditions. Hospice staff have several methods to assist with pain relief. Staff is aware and will allow your voice to steer the conversation to assist with pain through medications or by comfort measures. Hospice staff provide educational tools for the caregivers to assess and assist with pain management throughout the night.
2. They Know How to Handle Terminally Ill Patients. Caregivers provide tremendous support to their loved ones and may need additional advocates to help someone who is terminally ill. Hospice staff are trained to assess, intervene and evaluate the illness condition and provide a variety of approaches to assist with tools and medication tailored to their conditions. Although hospice does not prolong life, comfort measures, dignity and compassion will be given through this sensitive time.
3. They Know How to Help You Understand Your Loved One’s Condition. Often, people like to rely on what they already know, overlooking the other possible things that they may learn from hospice staff. Hospices consist of a team of professionals working together, sharing insight on the best possible way to provide comfort. With a range of health care professionals on your side, you will grasp an understanding of the terminal illness and how that impacts daily living tasks as well as the physiological impacts.  The collaboration of team members assures families that the disease process will not only be evaluated but will provide education to caregivers to make informed decisions. Get the necessary help and understand what the patient may be going through. Some forms of pain are not even visible, especially since your elders will not pinpoint them all the time. With the help of home hospices, you will learn more about the illness in general and how to handle it better.

Conclusion

Caregivers shouldn’t feel guilty when calling for hospice’s help. Even with experience and training, you should also be reminded to provide comfort and relief for yourself as well.

It may seem unnatural to ask for help, but qualified hospice team members are equipped in providing pain relief and giving insight when it comes to different diagnosis and interventions for elders. Having a team that supports you and your loved one through this difficult time not only decreases stress but empowers and provides support to those who will provide care to a loved one.

Schedule a FREE Consultation at Golden Rule Hospice

With all of that said, you may be looking for the best hospice care in Atlanta to help you manage and care for your elderly at home. In that case, we at Golden Rule Hospice are at your service. We provide various levels of home hospice care that will cater to your loved one’s needs. Contact us at (470) 395-6567 to learn more.