Determining the right time for hospice care can be a difficult decision, even after your loved has been diagnosed with a terminal condition. Every situation is different, but there are general guidelines to help you take the next step together, and Lifetime Care will be there for the people of the Finger Lakes Region, NY, throughout the transition and beyond. 

Patients are eligible for end-of-life care as soon as their physician certifies them with a life expectancy of six months or less. Once the course of the disease in question has been determined, start the hospice process as early as you and your loved one are able. The sooner this transition is made, the sooner a hospice care professional can help ease pain and increase comfort in the final months of life.

Effective pain management is a large part of hospice services. Home aides don't just specialize in keeping up with medication; they aim to find the most effective ways to administer it while also seeking out new therapeutic techniques that best suit the patient. Hospice care is more than simply catering to physical needs, however. Making the most out of this final stage is also about meeting spiritual and emotional needs, placing the focus on the person rather than the illness.

The palliative care put in place will come down to the disease, desired environment, and the individual's requirements. While the level of service varies, it's always a good idea to get started as early as possible, both for the comfort and stability of your loved one and to relieve some of your responsibility.

Once the timing is right, and you receive confirmation from a physician, consult with the home health care providers at Lifetime Care in New York. Visit their website for an overview of hospice services, and give them a call today at (585) 214-1000 to arrange for patient care.