A time may come when difficult conversations about options for the care of your elderly loved ones in your family will arise. The very nature of these conversations and the need to have them can make the topics hard to talk about for everyone involved, but the discussions are almost always better to be had sooner rather than later.
Conversations of this nature are difficult. We are here to provide some gentle guidance on how to navigate the delicate discussion with your loved one.
Come from a place of compassion and understanding
Our loved ones may feel that they are being asked to give up their autonomy. Empathy, compassion, and understanding are crucial when addressing their worries and concerns. It’s a precarious time that can be navigated with a little more ease with the right tools for communication.
Assessing current health status and future needs
When times are good (or even manageable), people tend to wistfully hope that they will remain that way forever. However, the physical, mental, and emotional impact of aging can sometimes cause rapid changes in our loved ones. Some of these changes are anticipated and some are not, which is why it is crucial to plan ahead for future needs.
If a loved one is already exhibiting signs or has a diagnosis of age-related mental decline, a palliative care expert can help you understand the likely timeline and progression to better plan for what will be needed, and when.
Addressing emotional and psychological aspects of aging
While the physical effects of aging may be the easiest for us to see, the subtle and invisible changes, such as emotional and psychological, have the most impact because of the cognitive dissonance they create. Both our loved ones and ourselves as family members may enter a “denial phase” about the changes taking place
However, acceptance and understanding early on can help guide a more meaningful and purposeful course of action that will yield a more positive experience for everyone involved.
Exploring home care versus assisted living options
One substantial question that needs to be explored as early as possible is whether home care or assisted living is the best answer for your loved one. When outside care is needed, each option can provide both upsides and downsides depending on the situation.
Home care allows your loved one to stay in an environment where they are most comfortable and among loved ones, but may limit outside interactions, physical activities, or direct access to on-site medical specialists.
Assisted living options may put your loved one into a new environment where they are surrounded by others in their age range. Assisted living options often provide social activities, daily interactions with others, healthcare coordination, medication management, and on-site medical professionals in case of an emergency.
Family dynamics and caregiver support
Family dynamics often play a role in these discussions and decisions. Families that are especially close and have frequent interaction may experience trepidation about their loved ones receiving external care. To mitigate those scary feelings, realistic expectations and understanding of the level of medical care and support that family members can provide is critical. Making meaningful decisions through mindful discussions and communication before necessity takes over is essential.
Evaluating palliative care and hospice services
Most people have likely heard the terms “palliative care” and “hospice,” but are unsure of what each actually means.
Palliative care experts have specialized training to aid both those affected by disease as well as to a patient’s caregivers. These experts can offer specific recommendations based on age or disease progression, a prognosis for what to expect, and help the family and caregivers best know how to support their loved ones. Palliative care is appropriate to start at any point of disease, from on-set to progression, and can be utilized in conjunction with curative treatment.
Hospice is focused on providing quality care and pain management to those with a diagnosis of six months or less to live, and curative treatments are no longer effective and have halted. This type of care is usually provided within the loved one’s home, but can also be provided within assisted living or skilled nursing facilities. A hospice care team works to ensure that patients are comfortable and that their wishes are being met, both spiritually and emotionally. Hospice care is also tailored to provide support for family members and caregivers as well.
Our team at Affinity Care Hospice is dedicated to helping families around the country find the gentle, loving, and needed support to ease their family members through the life transitions that aging often brings. While these decisions may be difficult to consider or undertake, our loved ones should always be in the best environment which can support and care for them.
If you or your family has questions about what the best option for an aging loved one may be, our team can help walk you through the questions that need to be asked and decisions to be made to find the best environment and support for their needs.
Affinity Care Hospice is a nationally recognized provider of compassionate hospice and palliative care, served by teams of local caring professionals whose mission is to provide comfort to seriously ill patients and their families.