The prospect of the end of life can be a scary thought to consider. However, when taking into account the comfort and quality of life for your family member in their terminal illness or in their late senior years, end-of-life care becomes a practical and inevitable step. With this, we raise the question, have you already made end-of-life plans for or with your loved one?
Planning thoroughly may not take the grief and sorrow away, but it can lessen the struggles of loss knowing that some other concerns are already safely addressed. Whether your loved one requires hospice care in Burbank, California or they just simply want to be with you and the whole family, planning for end-of-life matters can be a favor for you and your beloved.
However, the process of reflecting for your loved one’s needs may be difficult to begin with. As providers of hospice in Burbank, we do understand how this can be a great struggle for every family member. For that, we would like to impart these helpful questions to aid you in setting about end-of-life care.
- Where does your loved one prefer to stay in their remaining days?
For many of us, the presence of loved ones in our very own home can be a common option. If this reflects your family member, ensure that your home is equipped for their safety, well-being, and quality of life. - How aggressive are their treatments?
For our beloved with a terminal condition, aggressive treatments might be an option so they can manage their remaining days. Coordinate with their physician whether these treatments can be done in their preferred location of care or they will instead get palliative care in California. - Should they know when the remaining hours have come?
This can be an emotionally debilitating topic to raise, but for the sake of your loved one, respect their wishes. Ensure to ask if they want to know how much time they have left. For some people, this thought can increase their sense of peace. - When should doctors stop providing treatment?
Allow your loved one to decide for their treatment as they know how much more pain they can take. Talk about their preference of until when should they undergo treatment, and again, respect their preference with love. - Who are the persons they would like to meet?
On their remaining days, our loved one may have a special request to meet certain persons, or they may request to be only surrounded by their immediate family members. This is an important matter to ask from them so you can be assured that no visitor can cause distress. - Who will be their preferred proxy?
The condition of the proxy is another crucial matter to discuss, especially that there will be certain points when decision-making is no longer able to do on their own.
At Mar Vista Hospice, we help you make the end-of-life care arrangements more manageable and attainable. If you ever need care assistance, don’t hesitate to ask us.