Advanced Care at the End of Life

Tips for the Caregiver | Support for Caregivers | Basic Responsibilities of the Caregiver | Coping for Caregivers

There will come a time, as a caregiver for a loved one with mesothelioma, that you’ll need to face the reality that your family member or friend will pass away.  For many caregivers, this will be the hardest thing to handle.  You may feel guilt or frustration at not being able to do more for the patient, but it’s important to remember that there’s nothing you personally can do to avoid the inevitable.

You can, however, help the patient make decisions.  You may also be forced to make these decisions on your own or with the help of other family members, depending on the condition of your loved one.  That’s why it’s best to be educated as to a number of end-of-life issues.

Advance Care Planning/Advance Directives

Hopefully, your sick family member or friend has shared with you their desires for advanced care should they become too ill to make decisions for themselves.  If not, you can help them become educated as to these issues before they are unable to speak for themselves by:

• Gathering information on available life-sustaining methods
• Gathering information on how the disease will progress and what to expect
• Talking about pain management
• Helping the patient review the information and make decisions that fit their wants and needs
• Encouraging the patient to prepare a Living Will or Advance Directives which will spell out their wishes for the end of life.
• Abiding by your loved one’s wishes when the time arrives

Hospice Care

Hospice care, whether in-home or in a hospice facility, gives the patient the opportunity to die with dignity.  Hospice workers provide compassionate care and focus on caring, not curing. 

Hospice is concerned about pain management and emotional support, and hospice teams also offer emotional support to family members as well.  Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance plans cover much or all of the cost of hospice care.

Hospice is a very feasible solution when you can no longer properly care for your loved one.  Caregivers need not feel guilty about turning care over to a hospice team.  End-of-life issues, like pain management, require trained medical professionals that know how to care for advanced cancer patients in the last days of their life.  Allowing your loved one to enter hospice care may be the best gift you can give them at the end of their struggles.