Category: Caregiving Tips
Articles for caregivers of terminally ill patients including how to manage challenging situations.
Trigger Words for Hospice Nurses: Assessing End-of-Life in Two Weeks or Less
Discover key indicators for end-of-life care in hospice. This guide highlights ‘trigger words’ that signal a patient’s final days, aiding nurses and caregivers in providing compassionate support during the most critical moments.
Understanding and Avoiding Caregiver Burnout when Caring for a Loved One with Dementia
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting. Family caregivers often neglect their own well-being while focusing on the needs of their loved ones, leading to burnout. Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that can happen when caregivers don't get the help they need or try to do more than they are able to do. In this article, we will discuss how family caregivers of a loved one with dementia can avoid burnout and recover if they are already experiencing burnout.
Caring for a Loved One with a History of Diverticulitis
Caring for a loved one with a history of diverticulitis requires a combination of preventive measures, early detection of warning signs, and understanding the common signs and symptoms of this condition. Your role as a caregiver is crucial in providing support and assistance to ensure their well-being. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore essential aspects of caring for someone with diverticulitis, including prevention, early warning signs, and treatment options.
Unlocking the Power of Validation Therapy in Compassionate End-of-Life Care
In the realm of hospice care, where empathy and compassion are paramount, a remarkable approach called Validation Therapy has emerged as a beacon of hope and comfort for individuals facing dementia and cognitive disorders in their final journey. As an experienced hospice registered nurse case manager, I've witnessed the transformative impact of Validation Therapy on patients, allowing them to find solace, regain their self-worth, and experience a sense of dignity during their end-of-life phase.
Understanding and Addressing a Terminally Ill Patient’s Fear of Impending Doom
I understand how challenging it can be for terminally ill patients to cope with their fear of impending death. It is crucial for both healthcare providers and family members to take these feelings seriously and respond with compassion and understanding. In this article, we will explore the importance of acknowledging a patient's fear of impending doom and discuss actions that families can take to provide peace and comfort during this grim time.
Promoting Meaningful Relationships with Dementia Patients through Validation Therapy
Caring for individuals with dementia can be both challenging and rewarding. One approach that has gained recognition for promoting meaningful relationships with dementia patients is Validation Therapy, developed by Naomi Feil. This article will explore how Validation Therapy works, why it does not involve telling a single lie, and why honesty is crucial when dealing with dementia patients.
Recognizing Signs of Dementia in Your Loved One
Dementia is a condition that affects cognitive abilities such as thinking, remembering, and reasoning. It is crucial to recognize the signs and symptoms of dementia early to provide proper support. This article will help you understand the common signs and symptoms of dementia and steps you can take to address them.
Frontal Lobe Dementia: Understanding and Caring for Your Loved One
Facing a loved one's diagnosis of frontal lobe dementia can be overwhelming and challenging. This article aims to provide families with essential information about frontal lobe dementia, its progression, changes they might observe in their loved one, and best practices for caregiving from onset until the end of life.
Understanding Discomfort: Distinguishing it from Pain While Caring for Your Terminally Ill Loved One
Caring for a terminally ill loved one is a profound and challenging journey that requires compassion, understanding, and a willingness to alleviate any discomfort they may experience. In this guide, we will explore the concept of discomfort, its distinction from pain, and the importance of recognizing and addressing discomfort in addition to pain. You'll be better equipped to provide holistic care that enhances your loved one's quality of life during this sensitive time.
Throughout your loved one's illness, you might find yourself thinking that they don't require "pain medication" because they don't seem to be in pain. They might even respond with a direct "no" when asked about their pain. However, are you aware that most types of pain medication can alleviate discomfort? Did you also know that your loved one could be feeling uncomfortable without necessarily being in severe pain? Nonetheless, it's important to recognize that their discomfort requires the same treatment as if they were in pain.
Advocating for Your Terminally Ill Loved One in a Facility
As a family member of a terminally ill loved one receiving care in a facility, you play a vital role in ensuring they receive the best possible care and support during their journey towards a good death. Advocating for your loved one involves understanding their needs, communicating effectively with the facility staff, and staying informed about their care plan. This article aims to guide you on being an effective advocate, asking the right questions, and ensuring your loved one's comfort and well-being.
Preventing Friction and Shear Injuries in Elderly Care: A Guide for Non-Health Professionals
Taking care of an elderly fragile person at home can be both rewarding and challenging. One crucial aspect of caregiving is preventing friction and shear injuries, which can be painful and detrimental to the person's well-being. In this article, we'll explore what friction and shear injuries are, how they can be avoided, and some practical tips to ensure your loved one's safety and comfort.
The Life of Least Regrets
The longer I work in hospice, the more I'm reminded about two critical pieces of wisdom: 1) Hospice is about living, and 2) we should all do our best to live a life of least regrets.
While this article is geared towards family members with a terminally ill loved one, as well as my fellow workers in the fields of palliative and hospice care, I believe the thoughts that I will share apply to everyone alive near and far.
The Ins and Outs of Hospice Patients Seeing Their Regular Doctor and Specialists
When it comes to hospice care, one common question that arises is whether terminally ill patients should continue seeing their regular doctor or specialists. As an experienced hospice nurse, I have witnessed the benefits and challenges of maintaining these relationships. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of hospice patients still visiting their general practitioners and specialists from the perspective of patients and their families.
Should dying patients be on oxygen?
I have cared for many terminally ill patients over the years. One question that comes up frequently is should the dying patient be on oxygen at the end of life?
I see it from both sides, from hospice intake personnel as well as the admitting nurse — all had it drilled into them over the years that low oxygen saturation must be treated — to families who see how hospital and nursing home staff rush to put someone on oxygen because of low oxygen saturation.
Contrary to widespread belief, most dying patients do not need oxygen. Here’s why:
Best Practices for Approaching Combative Dementia Patients
Dementia is a progressive brain disorder that affects a person’s cognitive abilities, memory, and behavior. In the later stages of the disease, some patients can become combative and aggressive, making it difficult for caregivers to provide the necessary care. As a hospice nurse, it’s important to know how to approach and manage combative dementia patients to ensure their comfort and safety. Here are some best practices to consider:
Recognizing and Treating Common End of Life Symptoms
Guide to Recognize and Treat Common End of Life Symptoms provides tips on managing symptoms experienced by those at the end of their lives - Topics such as pain, shortness of breath, respiratory distress, and anxiety, and provides suggestions for medications and complementary therapies to help manage these symptoms.
Educating families on reporting changes in condition
When someone you love is sick and may not get better, you want to do everything possible to make them comfortable and happy. Sometimes, you may notice that they are acting differently or feeling worse. This is called a change of condition. Some changes in condition are very serious and need to be reported to the hospice provider right away. Other changes in condition are less urgent and can be written down in a journal until the next nursing visit. This article will help you learn how to tell the difference and what to do.
The importance of caregiver journaling for the patient and family
Caring for a loved one in hospice is rewarding yet challenging. Keeping a caregiver journal benefits the patient, family, and hospice provider. It enhances care, coping, and creating memories. Get tips on starting and maintaining a meaningful journal to improve your caregiving experience.
Air hunger management at end-of-life
I can count the times I’ve run into air hunger at the end of life as a visiting RN Case Manager for going on five years on one hand. Over the years, I’ve managed patients with pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancers (diverse types), breast cancer, COPD, congestive heart failure, B-cell lymphoma, leukemia, and other diseases that can impact one person’s ability to breathe correctly. Air hunger is rare in my firsthand experiences, but it can happen.
Air hunger often sounds like the person is gasping for breath without regard to the actual respiratory rate (how fast they are breathing); it can also sound like stridor (YouTube videos below where you can hear the difference).
Liquifying Ativan pills for easier delivery
Ativan, generically called Lorazepam, pills can be easily melted into liquid, and given to your loved one in a syringe. This is typically done vs. putting the pill under the tongue if your loved one has a dry mouth, and the Ativan pills are not melting under the tongue.
The process of melting lorazepam into a liquid will require the following resources:
Validation Therapy: A Valuable Tool for Families and Healthcare Teams
Naomi Feil is an expert in gerontology and the creator of validation therapy, which is a means of communicating and acknowledging the internal reality of patients with dementia. When properly utilized, validation therapy can enhance the quality of life of patients with dementia as well as reduce stress on the family and caregivers.
While Naomi Feil and her followers (of which the writer of this article may be considered one, at least in form) focus on using this method of communication to maintain health with the potential for a level of restorative health, I want to share how the concepts of this method can be used during times of crisis.
Fall Reduction – Reducing Falls in Personal Care Homes and Private Homes
Falls among the elderly can have severe consequences, including hip fractures, which can be life-threatening. As an experienced hospice registered nurse case manager, I understand the importance of fall prevention, especially in private homes, personal care homes, and assisted living facilities. This article aims to provide practical tips for reducing falls in these settings by following the nursing process: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Assessing pain in non-verbal patients
Pain is a subjective sensation that can affect a person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. While pain can be measured objectively by using vital signs such as temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and respiration count, these indicators may not reflect the true intensity of pain that a person is experiencing. This is especially true for non-verbal patients, who cannot communicate their pain verbally. Non-verbal patients may include those with advanced dementia, terminal illness, or other conditions that impair their speech. In this article, I will discuss the importance of assessing pain in non-verbal patients, the tools and methods that can be used to do so, and the benefits of providing adequate pain relief for these patients.
Buccal vs Sublingual for Liquid Medications
Your dying patient has lost their gag reflex as part of the dying process. One of the questions I implore you to ask yourself is what’s the safest route to administer liquid medications? Well, before even going to answer this question, unless contraindicated, make sure the patient’s head of the bed is at least at a 30 to 45-degree angle (I prefer the latter).
The buccal route is the safest route to administer liquid medications at the end of life in my experience. In practice, I strongly encourage you as well as the families we mutually teach to give any liquid medications on the side of the mouth least likely to have spillage — this depends on the position of the patient — and slowly over time giving the medication in 0.25 ml increments allowing for the absorption of the medication switching cheeks as applicable.