What You Need To Know About Oklahoma Hospice Care

By Anna Sanders


It would be nice if the end of life was quick and easy. Instead it is often sad, discouraging, and painful. Knowing they don't have to navigate these uncharted waters alone can make all the difference to the dying and their loved ones. Oklahoma hospice care is an great example of the kind of compassionate, caring professionals who make themselves available every hour of the day in order to ease the pain of this final transition.

There are questions about palliative care that are common to most cases. One of them regards the right time to discuss it with seniors. This subject is going to be uncomfortable for some family members, but it should be discussed well in advance of the actual need. This way the plans will have already been made when the loved one reaches the final stages of life. There is enough stress at this time without adding extra issues.

In order to begin the process someone within the family must request it. Once the agency receives a request it can be processed in forty-eight hours. A representative will meet with the individual and the family within that time frame. Depending on the severity of the situation, it is possible to initiate the process sooner than the normal forty-eight hour time period.

Patients will have a team working for and with them. The team usually includes at least one registered nurse, a social worker, a volunteer, a home health worker, and a chaplain. These professionals work with the individual and loved ones putting a plan in place that will fit the specific needs of the patient. The staff has a number of clients it has to divide its time between. Nurses will have at least a dozen patients. Social workers usually have a double workload.

When illness reaches its final stages there can be a lot of pain involved. The palliative assistance staff is trained to keep the patient as pain free and comfortable as possible. They work with the physicians to ensure they clearly understand the medications, therapies, and procedures necessary to achieve the desired results. The staff meets regularly with physicians to go over any changes or modifications to the original treatments.

The staff can serve patients wherever they are. It is not necessary to be a patient in a hospital to receive the care. Workers are called to nursing facilities and other long term homes to assist patients living there. There are agreements in place between the service and the facilities allowing workers to come and go freely while administering to patients.

Sometimes patients need the kind of professional care their families can't give them at home. In these cases, inpatient residential centers and freestanding hospice houses are always an option. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid cover the cost of these institutions. It can be a good idea to investigate the kinds of insurance policies that will cover these costs well before they are needed.

The end of life is not always easy. It can be messy, painful, and prolonged. Families should take advantage of all the resources available to them to make the process more bearable.




About the Author:



No comments:

Medical Updates and Health Tips