Caregivers

Being a caregiver can be a challenging, stressful, but yet an important job. Whether you care caring for a patient, family member, or friend, there are some important things to think about during the end of life. For a patient who is still able to be involved in end of life decisions and cares, it is extremely important to allow them to do so. For the persons who are not able to be involved it is important to help family members through this process.

Here are six steps you can take to be an effective caregiver:

• Work and communicate effectively with the patient.
• Support the patient’s spiritual concerns.
• Help to resolve the patient’s unfinished business.
• Work with health professionals.
• Work with family and friends.
• Take care of your own needs and feelings.
(American College of Physicians, 2011)

Every situation is different. In some situations the patient is taken care of at the end of life by a healthcare professional, sometimes a family member, and sometimes a friend. There are different things to think about when these different types of caregivers are caring for a patient during the end of life.

Here is some information to keep in mind when working with healthcare professionals at the time of end of life:

• Be clear about your wants and needs. Make sure all your questions get answered.
• Make sure you have all the information available that the healthcare professional may need. Some of this information may include personal information (birth date, social security number, and ect.), living will, advance directives, contact information, emergency contact information, your goals, concerns, questions, wants and needs.
Here is some information to keep in mind for family members and friends who are caring for family members at the end of life:
• This can be a very stressful and tiring process, so always ask for help!
• Take care of yourself also.
• Know it is okay to feel overwhelmed.
• Discuss and learn about the grief process at the end of life, which may include all or some of the following: anger, guilt, and fear.
• Know the patient’s wishes.

Reference:
The American College of Physicians. (2011). Hospice. Retrived from http://hospicenet.org/html/supportive_how.html.

It is extremely important that at the end of one’s life their wishes are honored and goals are met. When tough decisions have to be made for family members, friends, and loved ones, the process is easier when the patient’s wishes are known. This can be accomplished by having an advance directive or a living will. It is very important that people are educated on what these documents are and why they are important to have.  

What is the difference between an Advance Directive and a Living Will?

Advance Directive: An advance directive is a document stating your health care choices or naming someone to make the choices for you if you become unable to do so. (Iowa Hospital Association, 2011)

Iowa Law provides two types of advance directives…

1. The Declaration Relating to Use of Life-Sustaining Procedures, known as a Living Will.

2. The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

Living Will: A Living Will is a document directing your physician that certain life-sustaining procedures should be withheld or withdrawn if you are in a terminal condition and unable to decide yourself. (Iowa Hospital Association, 2011)

Here is a video that explains this subject in more detail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXXAjaarScQ

Reference:
Iowa Hospital Associated. (2011).

There are many misconceptions about hospice. Here is a good video that explains the important components of hospice.
http://youtu.be/1Z6D7UHFbzI

Introduction

End of life care is an important part of life and the death and dying process. Some important issues and information that will be covered in this blog will include hospice, palliative care, caregiving and caregivers, pain, grief, end of life care planning, advance directives, and living wills.