While you can never really prepare yourself for what happens when caring for a terminally-ill loved one, you still need to do it. You need to look into the ways you can help them, yourself, and the rest of your family with this immense ordeal.
The process of caring for a loved one who may not have long to live is going to involve a wide range of emotions. It’s important to not pass judgment to those who choose to cope in ways you might not necessarily agree with. You must keep communication lines open and be there to give and receive support. Remember that you are all in this together.
As a renowned provider of hospice care in Burbank, California, Mar Vista Hospice knows what emotions to expect from family members.
- Shock
The news of a loved one’s terminal diagnosis can send a wave of shock throughout the entire family. You just can’t believe what’s happening.
- Denial
It’s typical for some family members, and even the diagnosed, to be in denial about the situation. Sometimes it easier to believe that the doctor was wrong than to actually acknowledge the truth of the situation.
- Anger
You just can’t believe this happened to the kindest and most loving person in your family. Why them of all people? You just can’t help but be angry at the situation.
- Fear
You’re scared for your loved one. You’re scared for yourself. What would you do without them?
- Depression
When something happens to the people who are closest to you, it tends to make you spiral. You start to lose hope and become depressed.
- Helplessness
You wish there was something you could do to take away the pain and sadness your loved one is going through. You feel helpless because the situation truly is out of your hands.
- Guilt
You feel guilty because you should have spent more time with your loved one or shouldn’t have fought with them over something so petty. Feelings of guilt start to surface once you realize you may not have enough time to make up for the things you did to hurt your loved one.
- Relief
You just want the pain and suffering to go away. You want your loved one to accept and find peace in their situation while still being able to live a meaningful life despite their condition.
You can go through more than one of these emotions throughout the course of your loved one’s end-of-life journey. It’s going to be an overwhelming struggle for many of you, but you’ll also find that, in these moments, your bond as a family will be as strong as ever.
Mar Vista Hospice, a hospice in Burbank, would love to hear from you. What kind of negative emotions overtook you as you took care of a terminally-ill loved one? How were you able to overcome these feelings? Please comment your answers on the section below.