1 12, 2022

5 Ways Comfort Care Can Benefit Your Loved One

Robert Laethem2022-12-02T00:18:46+00:00Categories: Health, Hospice Care, Types of Care|

Life can be a rollercoaster ride—full of surprises and shocks, and you experience various ups and downs. Unfortunate events such as a diagnosis of a terminal illness, when the treatments stop producing any improvement and the symptoms intensify over time, can be heartbreaking. The patient and their loved ones start realizing that there is not much time left, and they prioritize comfort over treatment. Therefore, they resort to hospice or comfort care to improve the patient's quality of life for the remaining time. Below, we have discussed comfort care and listed the top five ways it can benefit your loved one! What is comfort care? Comfort care can hold a different meaning for someone diagnosed with a terminal illness. For instance, they may stop undergoing the treatment due to its potential side effects, or they may want to be in the presence of their loved ones as they try to deal with the fact that the end of life is approaching them. For most people, comfort care means being surrounded by comfort and love. How can comfort care benefit your loved one? Comfort care can benefit your loved one in the following ways: It gives great value to their final days or weeks: It is challenging to decide to transition your loved one to comfort care. Read More

13 10, 2022

How To Arrange For Hospice Care?

Robert Laethem2022-11-01T09:55:38+00:00Categories: Hospice Care|

Many families and individuals can greatly benefit from hospice care, however, many are also unaware of how to arrange the same. While some are afraid to discuss it, others wait for their doctor to suggest it. Some do not know that they can start with hospice care on their own as long as sufficient efforts are put in. Later, they regret it and wish they had known about it earlier. Hospice care refers to a care program that aims to minimize dying people’s and their family members' suffering. Please note that it does not affect life expectancy but improves the quality of life the patient has left. If you think you or your loved one may need hospice care, this blog is for you! Below, we have talked about how to arrange the top-rated hospice care in Michigan. 1. Start the conversation: Discuss the hospice care program with your loved one. Once they agree to it and fully understand it, talk to a medical professional and healthcare provider to determine your loved one's eligibility for the program. Usually, you should consider hospice when your loved one has a serious terminal illness or if they discontinue the treatment. In the case of Alzheimer's disease, it is ideal to look for a top-rated hospice care at the last Read More

10 10, 2022

Respite Care: Definition, Services, Costs, and Types

Robert Laethem2022-11-01T07:02:10+00:00Categories: News|

It’s exhausting to have a loved one with a terminal illness and provide them with all the love and care they need round the clock. However, taking care of them can sometimes get overwhelming and stressful. You may need some time for yourself, or you risk becoming inefficient in your everyday life. In such cases, you can resort to hospice respite care and allow yourself a break. With hospice respite care, you can rest assured that your loved one will be provided 24-hour care by the hospice care team. Below, we have talked all about respite care for hospice patients, including the services and the costs associated with it. What is respite care? Respite care for hospice patients refers to a short-term break for caretakers looking after patients with a terminal illness at home or in a hospice. Looking after someone with a disability or sickness is a 24-hour job. Therefore, you regularly need a break to look after your own health and needs too. These breaks can be as long or as short as you want —- a few hours, days, or weeks. This is where respite care comes into the picture. Respite care can take place: In your home At a hospital At a relative’s place Who needs respite care? Someone with a disability Read More

6 10, 2022

How To Provide The Best Quality Of Life During Hospice Care?

Robert Laethem2022-11-01T09:56:30+00:00Categories: Hospice Care, News|

Terminally ill patients need care, comfort, and compassion. Therefore, as relatives and caretakers, it’s tantamount to focus on improving their quality of life during their final days. You can also resort to the best hospice care in Michigan to ensure proper love and care for the patient. While a hospice is equipped to offer all the support a patient may need during the final days of their life, it is also up to the loved ones to provide compassion and care to the patient while they are receiving hospice care. Below, we discuss how to provide the best quality of life during hospice care. Give them control: Most patients in hospice care struggle to gain control over their life, resulting in a feeling of helplessness that can disturb their mental health. Therefore, during hospice care, the patients should be given some control by allowing them to make a few decisions regarding their day-to-day schedule. Let them choose what activities they want to do, and/or the kind of food they wish to eat. It will help them feel involved in the decision-making process, thus, boosting their confidence. Be present: Usually, the hospice care team takes great measures to ensure the patient is comfortable. However, know that nothing can replace the care and comfort offered by loved ones. Read More

31 08, 2022

Should a Family Member be the Primary Caregiver During Hospice Care?

Robert Laethem2022-10-04T05:55:00+00:00Categories: Hospice Care, Seniors, Types of Care|

When someone you love receives a diagnosis of terminal illness, or is given a prognosis of limited life expectancy, life changes drastically for everyone involved - not just for the one who is ill. Someone who may have lived much of their life as the primary caregiver for others may now find themselves needing someone else to be the primary caregiver for them. This can be a difficult adjustment for your loved one. It can be equally difficult for you if you are trying to arrange how to best provide for their daily care during end-of-life. While navigating the non-stop waves of emotions that can overwhelm you and leave you drained, you still have to ensure that the increasing daily demands for the palliative care of your loved one are being met. Who should be the primary caregiver for your loved one? The question is, who will be responsible to provide the care your loved one needs? Should the care be provided by the spouse or another family member, or is it best to seek outside hospice care services? There are many things to consider when trying to decide who the primary caregiver should be. While there may be different requirements related to the nature of the particular illness, we will cover some of the key Read More

8 08, 2022

How Do I Select the Best Hospice Care Near Me?

Robert Laethem2022-10-04T06:00:13+00:00Categories: Health, Hospice Care|

Making the decision to seek hospice care for yourself or your loved one is not easy. You and your family deserve support during this highly emotional season. Cardinal Hospice has cultivated a patient-first culture, putting your needs above all else. You can trust us to help you make informed decisions so that your focus can be where it belongs - your family. It can be difficult to know which hospice provider is the best fit for you and your loved ones. The first step is to research hospice providers in your area. You can ask your doctor for recommendations, or you can search online. Once you have a list of potential providers, you can start to narrow down your options. At Cardinal Hospice, we welcome conversations to discuss the needs of you and your family. We recognize the importance of selecting the hospice care that will be the best fit and we believe that each one of our families have unique needs and deserve our best effort to design the most helpful care plan. This starts with getting to know you and being available to answer questions, not just about our company but about the industry, the hospice care process, and what to expect in the near future. One important factor to consider is the quality Read More

28 05, 2022

End of Life: Grief and Bereavement

Robert Laethem2022-07-27T09:32:43+00:00Categories: Hospice Care|

Losing family members or loved ones—or even seeing them in their last few days—can be one of the most painful things to go through in life. There’s never an easy way to handle such a situation and all the emotions that come with it. While death is an inevitable reality, nothing can fully prepare you for the impact of experiencing a loss. While people cope with loss in different ways, death generally results in grief and bereavement. During this time, you may experience a barrage of different emotions, such as denial, shock, sadness, anger, or yearning. Regardless, remember that your feelings are valid and normal. Likewise, it takes time to fully accept what has happened, so you shouldn't feel bad if you need to take time off. To help you through this difficult time, you can read the information below to understand the grieving process and learn how to find bereavement support. What are Grief, Mourning, and Bereavement? Grief, mourning, and bereavement are often used interchangeably as emotional reactions to the death or loss of a loved one. While there are similarities between the three, they aren’t the same. Get to know each of them in more detail below. Grief It’s normal and expected to experience grief after a loss, such as death, the loss Read More

3 05, 2022

11 End Of Life Signs: What to expect?

Robert Laethem2022-07-27T09:06:56+00:00Categories: Health, News|

It’s never easy to think about your or your loved one’s death, but the reality is that everyone reaches this stage at some point in their life. While we all go through a different journey, there are some common end of life signs that may indicate when we are nearing death. As much as you might not want to think of the dying process, knowing what to expect as death approaches can help you prepare ahead and make necessary arrangements. It also allows you to maximize the time you have left and spend more time with your family, friends, and loved ones. With that, here’s a guide containing more information on what to expect at the end of life. Whether you intend to prepare yourself for this inevitability or plan to arrange hospice care for your loved ones, you can continue reading below to understand the signs and stages of death and dying. End of Life Signs Decreasing Appetite and Thirst As a person’s body starts to shut down, it stops seeking the nourishment and energy that it normally gets from food. As such, you’ll notice a dramatic decrease in appetite, with patients refusing food and water. While this is understandably upsetting, it’s important not to push someone to eat or drink when they are dying, Read More

8 04, 2022

End of Life Care: Providing Care and Comfort

Robert Laethem2022-10-04T06:06:06+00:00Categories: Hospice Care, News|

The end of life is a natural event that no one can prevent nor postpone when it is time. Eventually, your loved ones will get old and reach their final hours. However, this does not mean that one should forgo the need to seek quality care and support when the inevitable comes. In fact, when death is nearing, it becomes even more vital for an individual to receive palliative care to provide them with the utmost comfort and dignity they deserve. After all, everyone is entitled to a comfortable and quality life, regardless of one’s condition and state. Read on below to learn more about end of life care and how it can benefit the patient and their families, especially during one’s final days. What is end of life care? End of life care refers to the overall care and support provided to a person nearing the end of their life. Its main focus is to help the patient live as well and comfortable as possible until their final breath. Furthermore, it aims to improve one’s quality of life despite being in their last days, months, or years. End of life services involve different kinds of physical, mental, social, and spiritual assistance. This type of care may look different for each patient since everyone has different Read More

22 02, 2022

3 Questions to Ask Yourself: Is it Time for Hospice?

Robert Laethem2022-07-27T09:08:32+00:00Categories: Adults, Health, Hospice Care, News|

One of the most challenging seasons in life is caring for aging and ill family members. It is difficult to watch your loved ones suffer from symptoms of terminal illnesses, such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease. Feelings of helplessness and fear can take over thoughts clouding your judgment and adding to the stress of trying to juggle their needs and the demands of our busy lives. The heartbreaking truth is that it is only a matter of time before your loved ones' needs may become unmanageable without additional support or professional care, as their illness progresses. Instead of focusing on the overwhelm, it’s time to allow our caring staff to support your family’s needs. This will allow you to focus on the most important things, time together and comfort. We understand the stress brought on by making medical decisions, providing care and trying to navigate increased medical visits takes a toll on caregivers, that is why we will work to tailor a care plan you need that surrounds the whole family. Here are three questions that can help you determine when’s the right time for hospice. Does your loved one have life-limiting conditions? Hospice care is the best choice of care option for patients diagnosed with a terminal illness and who have been determined to Read More

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