Palliative Care For Seniors Can Help Adult Children Enjoy The Time They Have Left With Their Ailing Parents.

Uncategorized  |  March 26, 2021

In-Home Palliative Care Offers Comfort And Support To Seniors And Their Family

Canadians are living longer, but because of chronic conditions, degenerative diseases or cancer, they are not always living better. When a senior parent falls ill or is living with a long-term chronic condition, more often than not (99% of the time, in fact) their care falls to you – their adult children. This type of ongoing in-home care is called palliative care. 

Being part of your senior parent’s palliative care team is rewarding but can come at a cost. Many adult children like you who are providing care for a sick or chronically ill parent experience physical and emotional distress. Taking on the role of primary caregiver can strain relationships as roles are reversed and added responsibilities present challenges for time management and personal relationships. Hiring in-home caregivers to help you manage your senior parent’s care is an option well worth exploring. With the professional support of a palliative care team, you can shift your focus from managing the details of caring for an ailing parent to spending quality time with them. The added support from senior care providers can reduce your stress and help you maintain a more balanced life during a difficult time. 

Deciding If Palliative Care Is The Right Approach For Your Family’s Needs. 

A common misconception is that palliative care is intended only for seniors who are terminally ill when, in fact, the scope of palliative care is broader. Palliative care is defined as follows: 

“Palliative care is the active holistic care of individuals across all ages with serious health-related suffering due to severe illness and especially of those near the end of life. It aims to improve the quality of life of patients, their families and their caregivers.” – The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care

Palliative care can be provided alongside medical treatments to ease discomfort and manage symptoms. The insights of your chosen caregivers can help you and your ailing parent better understand the various choices available to them as their condition progresses. If your elder parent is living with a serious illness such as heart failure, cancer, dementia, or Parkinson’s disease a palliative care approach would likely be as beneficial to them as it would be to you.

Palliative Care Supports You As A Loved One And Caregiver. 

Palliative care does not focus exclusively on your parent as the “patient”. Its scope extends to include the well-being of you and your family, too. This is an important feature of this type of care. 

Caring for your sick parent requires a lot of your time and energy. No matter how willing you are to give it, both are finite resources. Additionally, you are only human and you are coping emotionally with the reality of having a sick or dying parent. If you also have a family of your own to care for and a career to maintain, stress and exhaustion are very real challenges you will have to manage. Support and respite will become necessary eventually.

Palliative Care Provides Seniors Peace Of Mind. 

Palliative care offers seniors an improved quality of life, a variety of ways to manage discomfort and pain, and the comfort and familiarity of their own home. Palliative care can include in-home supports like: 

• Personal care including bathing, dressing, and toileting assistance.
• Meal preparation and assistance eating as needed.
• Light house-cleaning.
• Overnight care.
• Companionship and entertainment. 
• Communication with family and other members of your caregiving team. 

In addition to in-home supports, a palliative care team can also include healthcare professionals like physiotherapists, pain specialists, nutritionists, and massage therapists. Also included are mental health professionals and spiritual counsellors, like a priest or minister. 

One of the greatest benefits to an ailing senior parent – one that is often overlooked – is the relief and support a palliative care approach offers to you, their adult child. Many seniors worry about becoming a burden on their families as they age and manage illness or chronic conditions. Knowing that you are supported as part of a team of caregivers offers them comfort and can add greatly to their comfort and peace of mind. 

Comfort Keepers Provides Palliative Care For Seniors And Their Families In Peterborough

You don’t have to shoulder the responsibility of caring for an ailing senior parent alone. In fact, for your own health, wellness and peace-of-mind you shouldn’t. Talk to your parent and their healthcare team about the holistic approach palliative care offers for those living with life-limiting conditions or illnesses. Consider hiring in-home caregivers to help share the weight of day-to-day care so that you can refocus your attention on your loved one, your family, and yourself during a difficult time. 

Find out more about the palliative care services offered to families like yours. Our caregivers’ ultimate goal is to help families around Peterborough make the most of their time together, to lighten the burden at a very difficult time and to deliver doses of joy whenever possible. Contact us online or by calling (705) 243-4042.

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