Thousand Oaks hospice and end of life care

Regardless of what medical science says, our bodies are nothing short of miraculous. Hence, it’s not a bad thing to hope for miracles, especially for a person whose time on earth may end sooner because of a terminal disease. However, if there’s one thing you can have, that would be adding more quality to one’s life through hospice care. While it neither promises to prolong life as an alternative treatment nor hasten death to end suffering, hospice provides exceptional care to make the final days more meaningful for the person and their family.

Addressing the pain

For many dying individuals, chronic pain has become part of their ordeal. It is usually caused by changes in their body brought about by their disease. Unfortunately, these changes are permanent such that, realistically, the pain might not go away entirely. The best thing that one can do is to manage it aggressively with the help of regular medication. Its intake timing is key, which means taking a dose at set times just before the onset of the pain attack.

Hospice deals with the patient’s pain by not deciding if it is present or calling its severity. Instead, they honor this pain as dictated by the patient. In other words, what could be mild pain to one person may be severe for another. In this regard, hospice staff will ask how the patient rates pain to provide the right medicine dose.

Remember that pain does not operate alone. It is commonly accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms and side effects such as sleeplessness, fear, anxiety, depression, among emotional and psychological manifestations. Hence it is important to manage the pain as the rest will follow.

Other realities associated to the dying

Hospice takes a multifaceted approach to provide care because a dying person will usually experience other symptoms. One of them is the tendency to withdraw from routine and their hobbies due to pain and the psychological aspects of their situation. They might also spend more time sleeping and talking less. Often, eating doesn’t appeal to them anymore, so it could be a challenge, especially when taking medicines that usually require food to be eaten first. Then there’s being disoriented, restless, and confused such that they might not recognize their family or say unusual things that don’t make sense.

A good hospice practitioner would not force their patient to do things even if they enjoyed doing them under ordinary circumstances. They will work with the pace of the patient, but at the same time, they also have to be innovative with their care methods so that the person can better manage their symptoms.

Working with your caregiver

Patients may already have their caregiver initially, but it is not sufficient to address their needs beyond routine care. Since hospice care targets different aspects of an individual to improve the quality of their life, it will be working closely with the caregiver. This person could be a staff or a family member of the patient. The hospice team will provide additional education to the caregiver, especially administering medicines for pain management.

Hospice care in Thousand Oaks

Situated northwest of the Greater Los Angeles area, Thousand Oaks is home to a multitude of oak trees and a population of over 120,000. Many residents live in suburban communities’ housing districts near Lynn Road and a stone’s throw from commercial centers. It makes such amenities and other creature comforts accessible to the inhabitants of this upscale city. With a higher median household income than most, they will have a greater demand for outstanding hospice care for a terminally ill loved one. Nonetheless, they can get hospice and end of life care at no extra cost since it is 100 percent covered by Medicare. This hospice program is also provided in-home or at any preferred location in Thousand Oaks and neighboring cities.

What hospice offers to the patient and family members

New Vision Hospice takes care of chronic pain and symptoms of patients brought about by their life-limiting disease or complementary treatments. Their hospice staff is trained in this area and takes the cue from their patients. This personal and custom approach allows them to provide the best hands-on care possible. Please know that New Vision hospice will come to you in Thousand Oaks, whether you want to receive hospice at home or any location. Depending on your needs, you can also choose to stay in their dedicated facility. This hassle-free practice relieves you of the unnecessary stress of making appointments and getting the service delivered wherever you live.