Dying is something all of us will eventually experience. While no one can be sure when our time will come, making a proactive plan for our last days can be self-empowering, allowing us to retain dignity and ensure our final wishes are followed. Thoughtful planning can also provide comfort, security, and a sense of peace to those who care for us and about us. A proactive health care plan is often an integral part of effectively managing the end-of-life scenario; however, as the experienced staff at North Carolina-based HealthKeeperz, a family-run, faith-forward integrated health care provider cautions, too often, many of us leave crucial end-of-life decisions - for ourselves or our loved ones - until it's too late.
An Overview of End-of-Life Care
End-of-life health care encompasses a wide variety of services, both medical and practical. The kind of care a patient receives is determined by the status of their condition. When it's been medically determined that someone who has an illness has no further hope of a cure, or if they've simply reached the end stages of their normal life cycle, the treatment they receive evolves from a combination of curative and palliative care to a palliative-only model, known as end-of-life care or hospice.
The purpose of palliative care is to provide as much comfort to the patient as possible while assuring a continued quality of life. During hospice, the chief goals of palliative care are pain management and symptom control as prescribed by the patient's doctor and implemented by a care team that may include skilled nurses, health aides, and family members or other loved ones who have committed to undertaking caregiving duties.
During the end-of-life phase, a patient's practical needs, such as feeding and personal hygiene, are also routinely addressed. Each of these essential functions is performed on a regular basis and attended to by the caregivers (either family members, loved ones, or hired health care staff) who have been assigned that task. Consistent scheduling is the key to ensuring that end-of-life care runs smoothly. Working with experienced health counselors, such as those at HealthKeeperz, can help anyone planning end-of-life services maximize patient care protocols while minimizing stress for everyone involved in the hospice scenario.
For end-of-life care to be truly effective, it must also address needs that go beyond mere physical requirements. HealthKeeperz's in-house chaplains, whose counseling provides essential spiritual and emotional support to patients, their families, and members of the hospice team, have learned firsthand how important the intangibles are.
Ongoing spiritual and emotional support has been shown to prevent or ameliorate the burnout commonly associated with the stresses of caregiving. It also helps ensure that everyone involved in the hospice process remains emotionally connected to the community, enabling them to tap into its larger strength during difficult times.
HealthKeeperz on Empowering Caregivers in the Hospice Process
Two of the cornerstones of excellent hospice caregiving are being well-informed and maintaining an uninterrupted flow of communication between the patient and their care team. With more than five decades of experience, the experts at HealthKeeperz advise anyone exploring end-of-life care options to take full advantage of such counseling services as those offered by reputable health providers to help them create a detailed, proactive course of action that will fully address the patient's changing needs as they progress toward the final stages of life.
By explaining the scope and providing detailed instructions, a trusted health care provider can help family members understand what will be expected of them in the performance of their duties. Giving clear information to family members and loved ones - especially those who may have not previously dealt with a hospice situation - on the practical issues, as well as the potential emotional complications end-of-life care may entail, will make them better able to perform their duties, and at the same time, help them to safeguard their own emotional wellbeing.
"Hospice care can provide support, resources, and information to a patient's family and loved ones during this difficult time," a Feb. 25, 2020, feature in VeryWell Health explained, "particularly to a family member providing caregiving to the patient - as well as assistance after a hospice patient's death."
HealthKeeperz notes that caregivers who establish and maintain ongoing open channels of communication with the patient's medical team early on are usually better equipped to provide befitting care throughout the hospice journey. They also affirm that those caregivers who actively participated in the end-of-life planning phase felt even more instrumental in the care process, as they were already versed in the patient's spiritual leanings and end-of-life directives, so along with administering excellent care, they could also seek to ensure a patient's final wishes were being faithfully carried out.
Preparing for Unexpected End-of-Life Health Care Challenges
As inevitable as life's end is for all of us, so is the sea of red tape and mountains of confusing regulations that Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and their families all too often find themselves facing. Understanding the options for end-of-life care and being able to ascertain which services may or may not be covered can be a huge headache - as can finding appropriate service providers in your area.
"Medicare coverage of hospice care is available for beneficiaries who have been certified as terminally ill, for services that are 'reasonable and necessary for the palliation or management of the terminal illness as well as related conditions,'" the Center for Medicare Advocacy explains. Unfortunately, not every therapy, service, or medical supply item related to end-of-life care qualifies for Medicare and/or Medicaid coverage.
The uncertainty of whether or not something you or a loved one requires is covered can be compounded by a lack of products or services in your area even if it is. This combination is stressful to say the least - especially since making the wrong choices can lead to crippling financial repercussions down the road.
Being able to rely on a trusted adviser to help determine Medicare/Medicaid eligibility and find local providers who offer specific products and services can simplify the process immensely. As a Medicare/Medicaid-certified agency, HealthKeeperz understands the importance of helping patients and their families navigate the convoluted health care system, assisting them with filing the required paperwork, and following up to make sure their cases are handled in a timely manner.
HealthKeeperz: The Best Approach to End-of-Life Planning Is a Holistic One
As a faith-based company, HealthKeeperz maintains the most effective approach to end-of-life care is a holistic one that addresses the physical, mental, financial, and spiritual needs of patients as well as their families. Planning early and planning efficiently will ensure the best outcomes so that rather than being forced to make difficult or confusing decisions during an already upsetting situation, patients and loved ones can instead have time to seek solace in reaffirming emotional bonds and making spiritual peace - all without having to worry about an uncertain financial future for those who remain behind.
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