What You Need To Know About Oklahoma Hospice Care

By Anna Sanders


It would be nice if the end of life was quick and easy. Instead it is often sad, discouraging, and painful. Knowing they don't have to navigate these uncharted waters alone can make all the difference to the dying and their loved ones. Oklahoma hospice care is an great example of the kind of compassionate, caring professionals who make themselves available every hour of the day in order to ease the pain of this final transition.

Individuals and family members have a lot of questions at this time. A common question is when discussing this subject is appropriate. It will never be easy for loved ones, but discussing the wants and needs of the individual is much better done in advance. This will be one decision already made and out of the way when the patient's final stage of life comes.

In order to begin the process someone within the family must request it. Once the agency receives a request it can be processed in forty-eight hours. A representative will meet with the individual and the family within that time frame. Depending on the severity of the situation, it is possible to initiate the process sooner than the normal forty-eight hour time period.

Each patient is given a team of professionals to work with. This team may include a chaplain, social worker, volunteer, home health worker, and registered nurse. The whole team works with the individual, and the family members, to establish a plan that best fits the needs of the patient. These individuals have a number of clients at any given times. It's not unusual for nurses to have more than a dozen patients. A social worker may have twice that many.

When illness reaches its final stages there can be a lot of pain involved. The palliative assistance staff is trained to keep the patient as pain free and comfortable as possible. They work with the physicians to ensure they clearly understand the medications, therapies, and procedures necessary to achieve the desired results. The staff meets regularly with physicians to go over any changes or modifications to the original treatments.

Palliative care workers go wherever they are needed. A patient doesn't need to be admitted to a hospital in order to get assistance. The staff treats patients living in long term facilities like nursing homes. The agency keeps agreements between it and the institutions that allow staff to come onto the premises and work with clients.

Sometimes patients need the kind of professional care their families can't give them at home. In these cases, inpatient residential centers and freestanding hospice houses are always an option. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid cover the cost of these institutions. It can be a good idea to investigate the kinds of insurance policies that will cover these costs well before they are needed.

The last of life is often difficult. It may be painful, messy and prolonged. There are resources available to help any family that requests it. Hospice is designed to make a difficult process more bearable.




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