Category Archives: Hospice Care

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Discussing End of Life Care with Aging Parents

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NJ Senior Care Planning

Talking to your elder parents about end of life care

No one looks forward to discussing end of life issues with aging parents, but this is something that needs to and should be done.

Having the conversation is necessary so that your senior’s preferences may be honored, if at all possible, and so that your contribution to the decision-making can be based on an understanding of those wishes.

The conversation should be ongoing, rather than just occurring one time, and hopefully each time the topic is revisited it will become more comfortable, as you and your elderly loved one become more used to discussing the range of future possibilities together.

Here are some tips to help you through the discussion:

How to begin a conversation about future wishes with your senior

One way to begin is by asking your senior what their biggest concerns are for the future. This topic may evoke thoughts on the past, regrets, or a life assessment. Listen uncritically, with empathy.  Having your senior share these thoughts with you can bring you closer.

Discuss your senior’s preferences regarding housing options

While most people prefer to remain in their current home, ask your senior what they would like to do if that were no longer possible. Sometimes this conversation will bring forth your senior’s expectations about moving in with one of their children, which can be helpful to know.

Ask your senior if they feel financially secure

It is important for you to have a record of your senior’s insurance policies, such as Medicare, Medigap, prescription coverage plan, and any long term care insurance.  If your senior doesn’t already have a will, durable power of attorney and health care proxy, now is a good time to see an elder care attorney so that they can have their wishes resolved as to asset distribution and care.

Discuss your senior’s feelings about their medical care and whether or not they are satisfied with their physicians

Does your senior have any concerns about their medical care? Do they have any concerns about their doctors? Do you need to help them find better ones? What are your senior’s wishes as to medical interventions and end-of-life care?

Discuss your senior’s wishes as to death, dying and funerals

Do your parents have any preferences as to funeral and burial? These conversations are difficult, but you need to resolve them sooner rather than later. Researching and selecting specific services isn’t morbid, and can help when the time comes.  Seniors to be assured their wishes will be followed even when their adult child is feeling sad and possibly overwhelmed when arranging a funeral.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Live in Hospice Care

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 Hospice, in the earliest days, was a concept rooted in the centuries-old idea of offering a place of shelter and rest, or “hospitality” to weary and sick travelers on a long journey. Today, hospice care provides humane and compassionate care for people in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible. Its all about making the patient feel comfortable and helping them to end their lives with dignity and to aide the family in coping with this difficult time in their lives. 

 Hospice is a philosophy of care. The hospice philosophy recognizes death as the final stage of life and seeks to enable patients to continue an alert, pain-free life and to manage other symptoms so that their last days may be spent with dignity and quality, surrounded by their loved ones. Hospice affirms life and does not hasten or postpone death. Hospice care treats the person rather than the disease; it highlights quality rather than length of life. It provides family-centered care involving the patient and family in making decisions. Care is provided for the patient and family 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Hospice care can be given in the patient’s home, a hospital, nursing home, or private hospice facility. Most hospice care in the United States is given in the home, with a family member or members serving as the main hands-on caregiver.

There really is no better place to recieve the care and comfort that one deserves at this time than in the familiar surroundings of their own home.  A Live in caregiver from Expert Home Care can work together with Hospice allowing the patient to come home or remain at home to spend the last months, weeks or days in the place that they cherish most-HOME.  We have many caring and compassionate caregivers who have worked within this type of situation and who can ease the family’s burden of the care requirements thus allowing family to spend quality time with their loved one on their own terms.

Expert Home Care is a member in the NJ Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and can discuss the options available for in-home care and refer you to excellent hospice programs throughtout the state.