Category: Caregiving Tips
Articles for caregivers of terminally ill patients including how to manage challenging situations.
Senility vs. Dementia: What You Need to Know
Do you worry about a loved one's memory issues or odd behavior? Learn the key differences between senility and dementia, their symptoms, causes, and ways to manage or prevent them. Understanding these conditions can help you offer better support and care for those affected.
How to Find Support When Your Loved One Has Dementia
This article will give you more knowledge, confidence, and comfort in dealing with dementia. You will also learn how to connect with people who share your experiences and challenges and can offer you emotional, practical, and informational support. You will realize that you are not alone and can make a difference in your loved one’s life.
Understanding KPS and PPS: Vital Assessment Tools in Palliative and Hospice Care
Explore the crucial roles of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) and Palliative Performance Score (PPS) in palliative and hospice care. This comprehensive guide helps nurses and caregivers understand these assessment tools, their applications, and critical differences, empowering them to provide more effective, patient-centered care.
Understanding and Coping with End-of-Life Anger: A Guide for Caregivers
Discover how to navigate the complex emotions of end-of-life care, particularly anger. This comprehensive guide offers caregivers practical strategies for understanding, managing, and coping with personality changes in terminally ill loved ones.
Comprehensive Guide to Financial Assistance for Hospice and Palliative Care Patients
Learn about various financial assistance options available for terminally ill patients who need hospice or palliative care but lack Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, or the means to self-pay.
Late-Onset Medication Side Effects: The Importance of Continuous Vigilance and Medication Reconciliation
Explore why side effects from medications can emerge after initial use and understand the critical need for vigilant monitoring and regular medication reconciliation to ensure patient safety and efficacy.
Uncommon Opioid Side Effects to Know: How They Affect You and Your Family
Learn about uncommon opioid side effects like myoclonus and hyperalgesia, and how they impact you and your family. This guide explains these conditions, offers tips for managing them, and highlights the role of hospice in providing comfort and support.
Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson’s: A Guide for Families
Understanding Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease (PD) is crucial for providing the best care. This guide helps families know what to expect and how to support their loved ones through these challenging conditions.
When Death is Imminent – What to Expect from Hospice
Hospice nurses are crucial in comforting and supporting patients nearing death and their families. This article explores what to expect from hospice care, focusing on patient assessments, educational discussions, and addressing common family concerns.
RUSH Medical Center’s Caring for Caregivers: Supporting Those Who Support Others
RUSH Medical Center's Caring for Caregivers (C4C) program offers vital support to those caring for adults 60 and older at home. Learn about the program's comprehensive approach, including skill-building sessions, planning assistance, and care-team coordination. Discover how C4C makes a difference in caregivers' lives and improves patient outcomes.
Terminal Prognosis vs. Diagnosis: What Families and Caregivers Need to Know
Learn the difference between a terminal prognosis and a diagnosis, and get practical tips and resources to help you and your loved one navigate this challenging time.
Poop Muffins and Power Pudding – Helping Maintain Regular Bowel Movements
Discover how "poop muffins" and "power pudding" can help maintain regular bowel movements. These fiber-rich recipes are especially beneficial for those experiencing constipation, including the elderly and individuals on certain medications. Learn how to make these tasty, digestive-friendly treats at home.
Understanding Bowel Movements in Terminally Ill Patients
Understanding bowel movements in terminally ill patients is crucial for their comfort and dignity. This guide offers practical tips for caregivers and hospice nurses to manage constipation, diarrhea, and other bowel issues, ensuring patients' better quality of life.
Empowering Caregivers: Effective Communication with Healthcare Providers
Discover how to use the CUS tool and Caring Feedback Model to advocate for your loved one's health. This guide empowers caregivers to communicate effectively with healthcare providers, ensuring their concerns are heard and addressed.
Comprehensive Approaches to Managing Hallucinations in Dementia Patients
Explore comprehensive approaches to managing hallucinations in loved ones with dementia. This article covers pharmacological methods, focusing on Seroquel and non-drug strategies such as Naomi Feil's validation therapy. Learn how to validate feelings, de-escalate fear, and improve the quality of life for those experiencing cognitive impairment.
Understanding Interstate Hospice Transfers: A Comprehensive Guide
Navigating interstate hospice transfers can be complex. This guide explores the process, challenges, and considerations for patients and families. Learn about Medicare regulations, coordination between hospice agencies, and how to ensure continuity of care when moving across state lines during end-of-life care.
How to Communicate Effectively with Healthcare Professionals as a Family Member of a Patient with a Terminal Illness
Learn how to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals when caring for a loved one with a terminal illness. Improve communication, advocacy, and coping skills to ensure your loved one receives the best care possible.
Bowel Management for the Terminally Ill: A Guide for Caregivers and Hospice Nurses
Managing bowel problems in terminally ill patients is crucial for their comfort and dignity. This guide offers practical tips for caregivers and hospice nurses to address constipation, diarrhea, bowel obstruction, and ascites, ensuring patients' better quality of life.
A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing Dementia and Providing Compassionate Care
Dementia is a complex condition affecting millions worldwide. Diagnosing dementia requires the expertise of medical professionals specializing in cognitive disorders. By guiding families and caregivers through the diagnostic process, you can empower them. In this article, we'll explore the steps to find the right specialist for a dementia diagnosis and how families can prepare for the crucial doctor visit.
The Importance of a Formal Diagnosis for Dementia: A Comprehensive Guide
Getting a formal diagnosis of dementia is essential for understanding the condition, accessing appropriate treatments and support services, and ensuring the best possible care. This comprehensive guide explores the importance of a specific diagnosis in predicting patient needs for comfort and quality of life, as different types of dementia require distinct care approaches. Avoid the risks of a generic diagnosis and empower yourself with knowledge.
Strategies to Help Dementia Patients Use CPAP Overnight: A Caregiver’s Guide
Caregivers can find it challenging to ensure dementia patients wear their CPAPs overnight. This article offers practical tips and strategies to help caregivers ensure comfortable and uninterrupted CPAP use for their loved ones.
Understanding Self-Soothing Sounds During the End-of-Life
The journey towards the end of life can be a challenging and emotional time, both for the individual facing the end of their life and for their caregivers and family members. One aspect of this journey that may be unfamiliar to many is the presence of self-soothing sounds made by the patient during the transition and actively dying phase. These sounds can be puzzling and sometimes unsettling for caregivers and family members who have never witnessed them. This article will explore self-soothing sounds, why they occur, and how caregivers and family members can distinguish between self-soothing sounds and signs of discomfort.
Navigating the Complex World of Dementia and Seizures
This article delves into the intricate relationship between dementia and seizures, offering insights on identification, safety protocols, and advocacy for caregivers.
Understanding UTIs in Dementia Patients: A Guide for Caregivers
This comprehensive guide helps caregivers understand why urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent in dementia patients. It provides practical advice on prevention, early detection, and effective treatment strategies. Empower yourself with the knowledge to provide the best care for your loved ones.