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Creating an End-of-Life Plan

Lucille Rosetti • September 10, 2020

Creating a Hospice and End-of-Life Plan for Your Dying Loved One

When people think of hospice care, their loved one’s mortality almost immediately comes to mind.

Hospice is typically reserved for those who are nearing the end of their life, and it should be viewed as an opportunity to provide comfort, discuss their final wishes, and to say goodbye.

There is no one-size-fits-all method for creating a hospice care plan, but understanding the process is a good first step.

Here are some things you should know.

Hospice Care Involves Many People

When the time arrives for hospice care, it’s important to understand that you are not alone. Your hospice care team will be comprised of many people who are experienced in how to provide compassionate care for the patient and support for the family.

Your loved one’s care team will consist of a physician , hospice nurses , and other support personnel . The nurses will have many tasks, including administering medication and helping to quell anxiety relating to your loved one’s condition and passing away.

One key individual you will get to know throughout the process is a hospice social worker. They are fully qualified to counsel everyone involved in the dying process. They also serve to support and advocate for the patient’s rights and wishes.

Getting to know this individual, as well as their qualifications, will help you and your loved one understand why they are there and in what ways they can help.

End-of-Life Conversations Can’t Wait

Your social worker can also help you open up the conversation with your loved one about how they want their death handled.

Having this conversation can help you be more prepared for the emotional and financial aspects related to your loved one’s passing.

These end-of-life conversations will be emotional. Your loved one may not want to think about their own mortality, and they may be in denial that their health has deteriorated to the point where death is an immediate concern.

If you cannot get them to discuss the emotional aspect of funeral planning, they may be receptive to talking about more practical matters, especially if they previously served as a caregiver for your family.

With the average funeral costing as much as a used car — between $7,000 and $12,000 in most cases — they may be more able to look at funeral planning as one last way they can care for the ones they love by making decisions that will reduce the financial burden.

Your loved one may be eligible for burial insurance; if so, this may be a motivator for them to open up about these decisions.

Hospice Does Not Equal Hopeless

There is no denying that hospice care almost always means death, and often within just a few months. But this does not mean that your loved one has to give up hope; instead, they can redefine their expectations and focus on quality instead of longevity.

Very well Health explains that hospice care will help your loved one live pain-free so that they can do the things they want, such as spending time with their family or taking one last family vacation. Being in hospice care is also no guarantee of death.

Although not the typical outcome, it is not unheard of for hospice care to improve the patient’s condition to the point their life expectancy is extended. Instead of standard hospice care, some people need palliative care.

In this model of care, the patient is treated with the same compassion, but may be much further from end-of-life than someone receiving hospice treatment. Palliative care patients may transition out of care once treatment for a disease or condition has ended and then re-enter hospice care once quality of life needs must be addressed toward the end.

Nobody likes to think about death, and hospice care only brings this possibility that much closer to reality.

Your loved one’s hospice care team can help you and your entire family understand and embrace the process.

Most importantly, hospice can ease your loved one’s suffering. Regardless of the outcome, eliminating pain will help them live their best life until the very end.

Lucille Rosetti

If you need help with Creating a Hospice and End-of-life Plan give us a call at 386-847-2322  or get a copy of our Guiding Light for Seniors that will help guide you through the aging process. Our Senior Advisors are here to walk with you through this journey. 

Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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