When your senior family member’s doctor first recommends hospice care, it can be intimidating. This is a new type of care for your family and you may not be sure what to expect. Some of this information may help you to put a timetable to what is likely to happen.

There’s an Initial Meeting and Paperwork

Before you really get started with hospice for your aging adult, you’ll likely have an initial meeting where the scope of the care is discussed and you sort out the paperwork. This is a great time to ask questions and to get as much information about what’s going to happen as you can.

There May Be a Home Visit

The hospice staff may also suggest a home visit to get a better idea what they need to do for your family member. This can also help them to determine how well certain equipment will fit, where your aging adult will spend the majority of her time, and any other necessary information.

You May Need to Make Some Adjustments

In order to accommodate your elderly family member’s hospice needs, you might need to make some adjustments to her physical environment. That might mean moving some furniture or even relocating your aging adult to the first floor. Some of these changes may be temporary until other equipment arrives while other changes may be more permanent.

You’ll Meet Your Senior Family Member’s Hospice Nurse and Other Aides

Your aging family member will have a team of people providing hospice care for her. You and your elderly adult will have a chance to meet all of these people and become acquainted before care officially begins. This can help to put both you and your elderly family member at greater ease.

You’ll Learn Your Aging Adult’s New Schedule

Gradually, you and your elderly family member will both become more accustomed to the new schedule that you have. As hospice helps you and your aging family member to keep her as comfortable as possible, you’ll find your new normal.

Hospice care is easier to adjust to than you or your elderly adult might think and it can make such a difference for your entire family.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hospice care in West Chester, PA, please contact the caring staff at Serenity Hospice today. Call (215) 867-5405.