Saying goodbye to a loved one and preparing for the end of their life when you can see it coming isn’t something we like to think about. However, there are thousands of people facing that very problem right now. Once you’ve gotten over the initial shock (and that may take some time) how do you make their goodbye as peaceful as it can be?

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Make their care the very best

When you know that someone is heading towards the end of their life, normal healthcare services don’t cut it as much. Our current healthcare system can be a stressor as often as it can be a relief. Palliative care is a relatively recent idea and palliative health centers take the approach of focusing 100% of their energy towards making their patients more comfortable and addressing some of the symptoms common during end-of-life. Otherwise, you may want to think about hiring a carer for your loved one.

Give them as little to do as possible

If you’re loved one is staying in their home, then there is a lot that you can do to help them cope with managing their household and caring for themselves. For instance, it’s worth thinking about hiring a cleaner or a gardener if you don’t have the time to spare yourself. You still have your responsibilities, after all. Just make sure you consult your loved one before you make any decisions. If they are active enough, they may feel like the idea of doing their own housework for as long as they can is their means of expressing their independence.

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Help them prepare

Similarly, take care when approaching the subject of the admin that has to be done before we die. Once you’ve both come to terms (as much as you can) in the short-term, open by asking about any last wishes they have, including preferred funeral arrangements. If they’re receptive to your help, you can ask if they need any help setting their affairs in order. It might include helping them set up a will with an attorney, assigning power of attorney for healthcare, and other estate planning steps that can clear up a lot of confusion in the aftermath of a death.

Be a loved one, not a carer

There’s a reason that hiring a cleaner or carer if you can afford it is recommended over offering to do it yourself. You want to be there for them as a loved one. If all of your time with them is taken up by busying around them, they can start to feel like they are a burden on you or might even resent getting little time away from you. No matter how you help them, ensure that you are spending time with them, too. It can help both of you deal with the anticipatory grief.

Beyond the tips above, make sure you take care of yourself. It’s going to be an incredibly emotional time for everyone involved and you need to find your own release to help you cope. You’re not going to be much help if you’re not helping yourself, too.

If you have a loved one and you suspect that they are in need of home care then you are certainly not alone. A lot of people need to hire a home care service every single year because their relative or friend is no longer able to care for themselves, but that doesn’t make the decision any less difficult. You may feel as though you are taking away their independence when you hire a home care service and you may also feel as though you should be the one giving them the support that they need. Even so, a home care service can really help you to relieve some of the tension that is in your family while also helping you to feel more comfortable with yourself.

Memory Problems

You may need to think about an at home senior care service if your loved one starts to show significant memory problems. A lot of people have occasional forgetfulness when it comes to remembering their keys or anything else, but if your loved one has serious problems and they are unable to remember consistent facts then you need to consider home care. They may be unable to remember where they live, or even what they had for dinner. When it comes to this stage then a care service may be required because they may not be eating and if they have

eaten, they wouldn’t know it.

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Accidents

Accidents happen, especially as people get older. One accident is not a sign that your loved one is in need of home care, but if your loved one is having consistent and serious accidents then you should certainly think about hiring a home care service. A serious accident can cause problems such as damages to the joints and even broken bones. If you suspect that your elderly loved one cannot get to the bathroom without falling or if you know that they are having trouble carrying out daily tasks without experiencing an accident then a home care service may be an option.

Performing Daily Tasks

Another sign that your loved one needs home care is that they can’t do things like they used to. If you know that they cannot cook a full dinner or that they are missing medical appointments then this isn’t good and they may not even admit the reason why. You also need to look out for your relative not making their favourite meal anymore or even not cleaning the house. This shows that they are unable to do the things that they used to do and you don’t want it to get to the stage where they cannot look after themselves without any help or assistance as this could cause them even more medical problems.

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Other things that you need to look out for include them not looking after their pet, or them not leaving the house for extended periods of time as this can cause them issues both socially and on a physical basis as well. A home care service can solve all of the above problems.