I have just found out that my father's illness has become terminal. How can I assist my aged mother and care for him?
Follow
Unfollow
Share
X
Share with friends
He has a lung condition and is now on long term oxygen treatment. He has not spoken openly about his condition but has indicated that he does not have long to live.
Are both of your parents living with you at your home, Cynthiag?
What does your mother say about your father's condition? There is a Scottish GP, a regular on a medical radio programme over here, whose technique for broaching the subject of 'end of life care' is to ask the patient or his family member how he feels about the way things are going, and try to find out what their expectations are.
Once you've started the conversation, it might be easier to see what sort of support from you or others would be most helpful to your mother.
So, Hospice is not going to take over his care, but they can be a valuable resource, providing spiritual guidance, perhaps a bath aide and some other kinds of help.
Perhaps I misunderstood your question. When patients are terminal, hospice is almost always a good idea.
What does your mother say about your father's condition? There is a Scottish GP, a regular on a medical radio programme over here, whose technique for broaching the subject of 'end of life care' is to ask the patient or his family member how he feels about the way things are going, and try to find out what their expectations are.
Once you've started the conversation, it might be easier to see what sort of support from you or others would be most helpful to your mother.
Perhaps I misunderstood your question. When patients are terminal, hospice is almost always a good idea.