Heart failure takes place when the heart can no longer pump blood around the body effectively.
It is usually caused by muscle complications, high blood pressure, heart valve problems, etc. While symptoms can be managed, the condition itself has no cure. This means if someone you know has heart failure; they will eventually reach its final stages.
Towards their health’s decline, medical professionals can discuss how your loved one wants to be cared for and suggest hospice care. If you would like to consider this for someone you are caring for, use this article as your guide.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care offers overall care for the whole person, including their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, and focuses on supportive care and pain relief. It is provided by highly trained staff members who are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It can be provided at home where your loved one lives or at an alternative place of residence, such as an in-patient hospice care center, nursing home, or assisted living facility.
What Are the Services Included in Hospice Care?
Hospice care may have physical care, medications, counseling, and supplies for the terminal illness. Here are other services that can be included in end-of-life care:
- Pain and symptom control. Symptoms can cause pain and discomfort. An interdisciplinary healthcare team can work together to make your loved one as comfortable and pain-free as possible. Their team can involve nurses, social workers, hospice aides, clergy, and bereavement specialists.
- Emotional and spiritual care. If your loved one is religious or wants to explore their spirituality before it gets too late, you can ask for help from a healthcare team. Hospice care enhances your loved one’s emotional well-being and spiritual needs upon request.
When Should I Call Hospice?
Heart failure can have a significant impact on your loved one. They can experience various symptoms, including fatigue, breathlessness, and swelling of the feet, legs, and ankles. They can get worried, sad, and angry and even feel that they lack control over their life.
Their symptoms can fluctuate at the advanced stage of heart failure, making it difficult to determine how your loved one would like to be cared for during these challenging times. However, you still have to emphasize why reliable hospice care is important and how it can provide comfort.
Typically, hospice is meant for patients with less than six months before their passing, but it is different with heart disease due to the uncertainty. To address this issue, here are some signs to consider for hospice eligibility:
- They are already optimally treated with diuretics and vasodilators
- They have a severe heart condition
- They suffer from significant symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, or functional decline
- They have already received optimal treatment for their disease
- They are not candidates for further surgical or medical interventions
- They have advanced congestive heart failure or advanced coronary disease
- They have chosen not to pursue advanced specialized treatment
Golden Rule Hospice: Hospice Care Provider in Atlanta
Getting access to hospice care is important, especially if your loved one’s heart disease is becoming more difficult to deal with. By keeping the information above in mind, you can determine the right time to seek this type of care and ensure they are accounted for until passing.
If you’re looking for the best hospice care in Atlanta, then you’ve come to the right place. At Golden Rule Hospice, we can provide comfort and assistance for patients and the people they care about as they head towards the end of their lives. Contact us at (470) 395-6567 to schedule a consultation.
We live by the Golden Rule
Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
