Before your loved one enters the advanced stages of liver disease, your family should have a plan to keep them comfortable. Many people choose hospice care for terminally ill relatives. In hospice, health care professionals manage your loved one’s symptoms and provide emotional support for everyone affected. To prepare for a discussion with your family, review this guide to understand this option.

When Might People With Liver Disease Enter Hospice?

As they monitor the progression of your loved one’s illness, your doctor lets you know when hospice care is necessary. This is often the case when a person has six months or fewer to live.

People with late-stage liver disease develop cirrhosis, a phase in which the liver becomes too scarred to function. When the organ can’t help the body absorb fats, clean blood, promote clotting, and eliminate waste, your loved one could experience weight loss, nose bleeds, and skin discoloration. Confusion and swelling in the legs and abdomen are other serious symptoms that indicate it’s time for health care providers to look after your loved one. 

How Does Hospice Care Benefit Patients & Families?

Since a person with late-stage liver disease needs constant care to stay comfortable and mobile, having an ill relative can affect everyone in the family. The goal of hospice is to provide all services your loved one needs, as well as emotional support for your family.

As symptoms progress, aides adjust the health care plan to suit your relative’s changing needs. Having a trained professional standing by to assist can reduce the stress and anxiety your loved ones experience. This way, everyone can spend quality time together during this emotional period.

If your loved one has liver disease, contact the compassionate professionals at Lifetime Care. Serving residents in the Finger Lakes region, the charitable organization has five locations to help families throughout New York. The staff provides end-of-life services at your loved one’s residence, in a nursing home, or at the Hildebrandt Hospice Care Center. Learn more about hospice options online, and call (585) 214-1000 to discuss your needs. Stay tuned for announcements on Facebook.