If you’re a caregiver or loved one of a Centrica Care Navigators patient, you’ve had a conversation with our staff, a discussion that’s sometimes called the “hospice talk.” You noticed that your loved one was starting to have difficulty moving around or is visiting the hospital more often.
You started to think that it would be better to have a team of knowledgeable people helping them. So you gave us a call here at Centrica Care Navigators. That’s where you learned about the resources available to you and your loved one and discovered all the important facts about hospice care.
Sometimes, it’s a healthcare worker who isn’t in the end-of-life field — maybe your family member’s doctor — who may begin the “hospice talk.” They’re trained to know what to look for in a patient who may be appropriate for end-of-life care, and they know that Centrica Care Navigators can help their patient. But it can be difficult for them to start the conversation, too.
It’s their job to save lives, after all — but it’s also their job to make sure people who are at the end of their life are getting the best care they can. That might not be saving a life, but instead making what remains of a person’s life more comfortable.
A strategy for success
Many people don’t want to talk about or even think about someone close to them dying. We all know it’s going to happen, but somehow it doesn’t feel “real” until someone close to us is actually in the hospital or receiving end-of-life care. At the same time, we all understand how important it is to be prepared for something that is going to happen to everyone… even if we don’t want to admit it.
If it’s a challenge for many doctors and nurses to talk about end-of-life care — people who specialize in talking about difficult health topics — it’s even more challenging for someone who’s not in the medical field, and someone who has to bring up the topic with someone they love.
So, what’s the best strategy for this tough task? Start by being empathetic and honest. Say something like, “We can do this procedure, but there’s a chance it will not have the effects you want. I want to make sure you’re ready for what might come next,” or, “I know this is a difficult time for you. I want you to be as comfortable as possible. I have an idea on how I can help you.”
People who have to deliver bad news are often encouraged to put a positive spin on it, explaining how something that seems negative actually has benefits. Being eligible for hospice isn’t “bad news” — receiving compassionate local hospice care helps many people in many ways — but there are several ways to bring up the benefits of Centrica Hospice Care.
Prevents unwanted procedures
When a person enters hospice care, they are preparing for the end of life. They’re not still looking for a cure for their illness (people who want to do that may be eligible for Centrica Palliative Care instead). In hospice care, doctors, nurses, hospice aides, and others regularly visit patients to make sure they’re as comfortable and cared-for as they can be.
Imagine the alternative for a person without the compassionate care they get from hospice: if their condition suddenly changes, they might be headed to the hospital for a painful, exhausting, and expensive medical procedure that may not help.
It may be difficult to talk about hospice, but it may be worse for someone to have to think about heading to the hospital for hours for an uncomfortable treatment.
Decreases feelings of abandonment
If they don’t think of hospice as equaling death, people may think of hospice as being discarded, like it’s somewhere family members dump an older person on whom they no longer want to spend time or energy.
That is definitely not what hospice is. For one thing, hospice is not a place, but support a patient receives no matter where they are. Centrica Care Navigators also surrounds every patient with a circle of care that includes their doctor, their nurse, and their caregiver, too.
Starting the hospice discussion with someone you care about can help prevent those worries of abandonment before they begin: “I don’t ever want you to feel alone or like you have no one to help. I will be there, and so will this other group of people who will help you get the care you deserve.”
Reduce end-of-life conflicts
Not talking about end-of-life care often means not talking about a lot of related subjects too, like what happens to a family member’s money and possessions after their death, or what their wishes are for their funeral.
Your loved one’s Centrica Care Navigators team can help them start thinking about some of those questions with tools like our Advance Directives guide. In there, they can choose the person who will make medical decisions on their behalf if necessary. You’ll also find space for them to consider everything from religion to cremation.
The conversation around starting hospice care can be very difficult; using that time to talk about other important end-of-life topics, too, may mean less struggle and confusion later, when you’ll be concentrating on making sure your loved one is as comfortable as they can be.
Talking about hospice can be intimidating and feel overwhelming. It can even seem like that for medical professionals. If discussing hospice directly is too tough, remember that there are other ways to start this very important conversation.
You can learn more by exploring our website or calling Centrica Care Navigators at 269.345.0273.
