5 Signs it's Time for Hospice Care
Hospice can improve your quality of life, at the end of life
In the busy world we live in, it seems we’re always aiming for more time. More time to spend with your kids, more time on vacation, more time to complete tasks, etc. Wanting more time can become especially apparent when it comes to the end of life. This is why it can be difficult to make the decision to choose hospice care. Although, many don’t know that hospice care can help you to spend more time with your loved one who is nearing the end of life and make your time with them more enjoyable. Read about 5 signs it's time for hospice care.
Signs it’s Time for Hospice Care
Knowing when to call hospice care can be challenging, and there are many factors to take into consideration. Hospice can begin when an individual has a life expectancy of 6 months or less, and the earlier hospice care can begin, the more they can do to enhance their quality of life.
Following these signs can help you make a more educated decision on when is the right time for hospice care.
1. Your Loved One Wants to End Curative Treatments.
Choosing to end treatment doesn’t mean your loved one is giving up. Rather, it means they are prioritizing their comfort and quality of life. Hospice can help patients do more of what they want to do and check activities off their bucket list.
2. Declines in Health, Even with Treatments.
If your loved one is experiencing weight loss, mental regression or other health declines in treatment, it may be time to transition to hospice. If your loved one chooses hospice care from Knute Nelson, our team will work closely with their primary physician and Muse Healthcare to manage their discomfort and increase care when needed.
3. Frequent Hospitalizations.
Repeated trips to the hospital or emergency room are stressful and disrupt your loved one’s daily life. Hospice care can lessen or remove those traumatizing hospitalizations, so patients and their families can better relish the time they have together.
4. Inability to Complete Tasks of Daily Living.
Not being able to eat, dress, bathe, or complete other activities of daily living can feel extremely disheartening. Hospice is designed to help patients with these types of tasks and empower them to do more of what they enjoy.
5. Increased Pain and Other Physical Symptoms.
Hospice can help lower patients’ pain and manage other physical symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath. Pain management and life-enriching services such as massage therapy, healing touch, or therapeutic music, can all help improve your loved one’s quality of life.
How Hospice Care Can Improve Quality of Life
At Knute Nelson, we strive to empower our patients to live as well as possible in their final days, weeks and months. KaLee Mohrman, Senior Director of Knute Nelson Hospice, and her team are focused on improving the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness of their patients. This is most easily done with early admission.
“That early admission to hospice is so important because that allows us to focus on the wellbeing and the whole patient,” KaLee explained. “The earlier admission allows us to get to know the patient and their family and help them through this process.”
Our hospice care approach prioritizes quality of life over quantity of life, with services like physical, occupational, and speech therapy, medication management, life-enriching services, and much more. Hospice care helps individuals to prioritize quality time with their loved ones at the end of life.
Get Empowering Hospice Care from Knute Nelson
The time you have with your loved one is absolutely priceless. That’s why our hospice care team at Knute Nelson is trained and experienced in providing high-quality, innovative support. Let our team of compassionate caregivers and volunteers be here for you and your family during this time.
Contact us or call us at 1(855) 938-4081 to learn more about our empowering approach to hospice care.
Meet the Author
Lisa Dingwall is a dedicated healthcare professional with over two decades of experience, currently serving as the Director of Knute Nelson Hospice. Her educational journey began at Alexandria Technical and Community College, where she earned her Licensed Practical Nurse degree, followed by a Registered Nurse degree from Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls, and a Bachelor of Nursing from Rasmussen University.
Her diverse career encompassed roles in long-term care, clinical settings, home health care, oncology, and hospice, each enriching her expertise in patient care. Throughout her journey, Dingwall demonstrated exceptional leadership, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. As the Director of Hospice, she remains unwavering in her commitment to providing compassionate end-of-life care, guiding patients and their families through life’s most profound transitions.
Last Updated: February 16th, 2024
