Making the decision to enter hospice care can be overwhelming and upsetting for your loved one. It’s important to ensure your loved one’s end-of-life wishes are followed, and to provide them with the resources and support they need during their transition.

Supporting your loved one’s mental health during hospice care includes creating a comforting and safe environment, listening to their needs and concerns, following their wishes, providing emotional support, and caring for your own physical and mental well-being. Here is a guide to understanding hospice care and supporting your loved one’s mental health during hospice care.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice care is end-of-life care and palliative care provided for someone who has a terminal illness or disease. It is recommended when curative treatment is no longer effective or wanted. During hospice care, your loved one will have a team of medical professionals and caregivers providing support and comfort to ensure they pass on peacefully and painlessly. The roles of a hospice care team include:

Following your loved one’s wishes for end-of-life care
Protecting your loved one’s comfort and dignity
Providing palliative care to relieve pain and discomfort
Providing support for your loved one and other family members
Improving quality of life

When Does Your Loved One Need Hospice Care?

Your loved one’s physician will recommend hospice care when they have a terminal illness that can no longer be treated with curative care. In most cases, hospice care is recommended when someone has a life expectancy of six months or less.

Benefits of In-Home Hospice Care Services

In-home hospice care is hospice care that is provided in the comfort and privacy of your home or your loved one’s home, rather than at a medical facility. Many people prefer in-home hospice care because it better prioritizes the wishes and needs of the patient and their family and eases the transition. Some of the benefits of in-home hospice care are:

Enhanced comfort and dignity during a stressful time
Greater quality of end-of-life care
Highly personalized care tailored to the patient’s needs and preferences
More flexibility with friends and family visits
Ability to keep pets during end-of-life care
Improved symptom management
Round-the-clock palliative care
More focused and individualized attention for the patient and family
No need to leave home and enter a clinical facility

Tips for Supporting Your Loved One’s Mental Health During Hospice Care

The best way to ensure you have the energy and resources to support your loved one during hospice care is to maintain your own physical and mental health. You will be less helpful to your loved one if you aren’t eating or sleeping well or managing your own needs. Other ways that you can support your loved one’s mental health during hospice care are:

Creating a Calm and Supportive Environment – Your loved one needs a calm, stable, and supportive environment during this stressful time. In-home hospice care services can make your loved one’s home safe and ensure they have the palliative care and support they need throughout their end-of-life care plan. You can also take steps to make the environment more comfortable, such as using soft lighting, minimizing noise and disruption, taking care of household tasks, and following your loved one’s preferences for their care and environment.

Helping Them Maintain Dignity and Independence – One of the primary goals of hospice care is to maintain your loved one’s dignity. Your loved one should have an active voice in their own environment and care so that they can retain some level of autonomy and independence. As much as possible, make sure your loved one’s voice is heard and their wishes are accommodated.

Providing Personalized Comfort and Care – Do what you can to provide personalized comfort and care for your loved one. Check in with them regularly to see what they need and what you can do to make their environment more comfortable.

Engaging in Meaningful Conversations – Engage in meaningful conversations with your loved one about their wishes, fears, concerns, and more. Give them space to talk and don’t interrupt them or minimize their feelings. Encourage them to talk about happy memories and share reminiscences.

Being a Good Listener – Practice active listening techniques, validate your loved one’s feelings, and acknowledge their experiences. Make sure that they know that they are heard and that you are there to support them.

Enlisting Support From Professionals – Don’t be afraid to ask for help from professionals. Seek out grief support resources in your community, and ask your loved one if they want professional support.

Involving Family and Friends – When possible, and if your loved one wants to, involve friends and family in their care. Encourage visits from loved ones and maintain social connections.

Supporting Their Spiritual Needs – Support your loved one’s spiritual needs by providing access to spiritual care in their home. Set up technology that allows them to stream virtual worship services, or arrange for a visit or conversation with a spiritual leader.

Respecting Their End-of-life Wishes – Prioritize your loved one’s end-of-life wishes even if you don’t agree with them. Make sure your loved one has dignity and autonomy throughout their transition, and work closely with their hospice team to coordinate care according to your loved one’s plans and wishes.

Prioritizing Your Own Well-Being as You Care for Your Loved One

It is not selfish or uncaring to prioritize your own health and well-being throughout your loved one’s hospice care. In fact, you can be a better support system for your loved one if you take care of your own physical and mental health. Here are some tips for managing your own mental health while your loved one is in hospice care:

Give yourself time to take care of your own needs, whether it is having coffee with a friend, getting a massage, going to a movie, or spending some time alone.
Try to get some exercise or physical activity each day.
Spend time in nature and in the sunshine each day.
Take advantage of community resources for family caregivers.
Utilize self-help books or resources.
Practice stress management techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and journaling.
Practice mindfulness and try to find something good about each day.
Rely on friends and family for support.
Hire an in-home caregiver for respite care as needed.
Be patient with yourself and allow yourself some grace as you navigate a difficult and stressful time.

Contact Placita In Home Care to Learn More About In-Home Hospice Care

At Placita In Home Care, we provide compassionate, personalized in-home hospice care services. We will work closely with you, your loved one, and their medical care team to ensure everyone has the support they need to follow your loved one’s end-of-life care plan. We can provide assistance with the activities of daily living, palliative care, grief support resources, and more.

Our goals are to maintain your loved one’s health, comfort, safety, and dignity and facilitate the ideal environment for a peaceful transition. We can also provide free assisted living hospice care placement services and help you and your family find the right hospice facility for your loved one’s needs. To schedule a consultation for in-home hospice care in the Tucson or Phoenix metro area, call us today or fill out our contact form online.