When a loved one is in the final stages of life, it can be hard to know what to do. Even if you’re sure of how you want to care for them, it might not be easy.
And even if you’re not sure, it’s likely that you’ve got questions about what would bring comfort and peace to your family member or friend—and that’s just as important as knowing what to do for them medically. In this article, we’ll explore palliative care and how it can help your loved ones at the end of life.
Why might a loved one receive palliative care?
Melbourne Palliative Care is given to people who are dying, but it can also be given to those who aren’t dying. That may sound like a contradiction, but here’s how it works:
- Palliative care is often given to people with serious illnesses (such as cancer) and life-limiting illnesses (like Alzheimer’s disease). These patients have a limited amount of time left on Earth and might not survive the illness itself. So their families want them to be comfortable while they’re still here–and palliative care helps them do just that!
- Palliative care may also be used by healthy individuals who simply want their loved one’s final days spent in comfort rather than pain or fear.
How can you make the most of palliative care?
When you’re caring for a loved one with a serious illness, it can be hard to know how best to help them. Here are some things you can do:
- Ask your loved one what they want. You may think that because they are sick, they don’t want anything or they would ask for it themselves if they did. But this isn’t always true–and even if it were, would it really matter? If someone asks me what I want right now and I tell them “a cheeseburger,” should they eat my cheeseburger instead of cooking dinner? No! So if your loved one says something like “I’d like some ice cream” or “I wish my legs weren’t so swollen today,” listen closely and try to follow through on their wishes as much as possible (within reason).
- Ask the doctor how best to help your loved one feel better physically during this time period; maybe prescribe some pain medication or suggest physical therapy sessions at home so she won’t get worse from sitting around all day doing nothing! Doctors know best when it comes down
Palliative care can bring comfort and peace to you and your loved ones.
Melbourne Palliative Care can help with pain management and emotional and spiritual needs, as well as physical and social needs.
Palliative care is a type of medical care that focuses on making the patient comfortable rather than curing them. It can be provided at any stage in a serious illness, but it’s often given to people who have only months or weeks left to live–people who are nearing death.
Conclusion
If you or a loved one is facing the end of life, palliative care can be an invaluable resource. It’s important to know what to expect and how to make the most of this type of care. If you have any questions about palliative care, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
