News
July 5, 2023
Grief & the Plan of Care
How Grief Is Incorporated into the Plan of Care
When it comes to dealing with grief, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Everyone grieves differently, and grief can affect individuals, families, and a person’s entire social circle. The grieving process can be especially complicated for those who are homebound or on hospice with a terminal illness. Creating a plan of care for home care or hospice patients must also incorporate grief. By including grief in an individual’s plan of care, we are able to meet the holistic needs of patients and support them throughout the process.Home Health & Grief
Home health services allow patients to comfortably remain living in their homes with the support of exceptional medical professionals. However, individuals with chronic conditions or recovering from an illness may also experience grief, especially during the early stages of adjusting to a new life. Patients may grieve the loss of the life they once knew, which comes with a set of new emotions to tackle. After an injury, illness, or surgery, it can be difficult for patients to adjust to changes in abilities and personal freedoms/independence.
As we develop a plan of care for individuals receiving home health care, it is vital to consider this grieving process. By acknowledging this grieving process, home health professionals can actively support healing and find supportive ways to improve the mental wellness of these patients. It is important to remember that healing looks different for every patient, and no timeline can be associated with processing grief.
Hospice Care & Grief
Hospice care is focused on supporting patients with terminal illnesses to be as comfortable and pain-free as possible. When an individual is put on hospice, grief can occur both personally and for family members. Many families of patients experience anticipatory grief before an impending loss. This type of grief can cause individuals to feel many unexpected emotions: fear, sadness, loneliness, anger, and more. Coping with grief can look different for every patient and family member. What brings one person comfort may not help another. Creating a personalized hospice care plan is one of the ways our hospice team can help support individuals and their families experiencing grief. From providing emotional support to additional resources, there are many ways hospice care can support grieving individuals.
To take things a step further, we offer a helpful bereavement program, which can support families during a difficult time in their lives. We provide one-on-one support, supportive phone calls and in-home support sessions to help each individual manage the grieving process and begin their healing process.