The Home Hospice Medicine Cabinet
When your loved one enters home hospice care, your house quickly transforms into a care center where you need to handle various medical and comfort needs throughout the day and night. Having the right supplies readily available can make caregiving easier and help you respond quickly when your loved one needs comfort or assistance.
What Does an Occupational Therapist Do in Home Health Care?
When your loved one comes home from the hospital or starts to struggle with daily tasks, you may hear the doctor mention occupational therapy. You might wonder what that means. The name can be confusing. Is it about finding a job? Does it help with work skills? Not quite. Occupational therapy, or OT, helps people do the basic things they need to do each day at home.
Hospice Care in Brookings, Oregon
When your loved one faces a life that can no longer be cured, the path ahead seems unclear. You want the best for them. You want them to feel safe and at peace. You want to know what comes next. If you live in Brookings or anywhere in Curry County, you have access to quality hospice care right here on the southern Oregon coast.
Hidden Signs of Grief in Men
When someone we love dies, we expect certain responses. We might anticipate tears, sadness, or withdrawal from normal activities. But grief doesn't always look the way we think it should, especially in men who may have learned from an early age to hide their deepest emotions. Understanding the hidden signs of grief in men can help family members provide better support and recognize when professional help might be needed.
Supporting Teens While Their Grandparent is in Home Hospice
When a grandparent enters hospice care at home, the impact on teenage grandchildren can be… complicated. Teens often feel caught between childhood and adulthood, wanting to help but not knowing how, or struggling to balance their normal activities with family grief. They are also at a difficult in-between place emotionally, where they experience emotions deeper than ever, but may not have the capacity to address or process them in a healthy manner.
Until Death, But Don’t Part: How To Keep Your Personal Relationships Strong While Caregiving
When you're caring for a dying loved one, your marriage often becomes the thing you worry about least. You're focused on medical needs, comfort care, and family dynamics. But hospice caregiving can put enormous strain on even strong marriages, and protecting your relationship during this difficult time requires intentional effort.
Too Many Visitors During Hospice?
Sometimes when the word spreads that your loved one is in hospice care, something wonderful and exhausting often happens at the same time. People want to visit, bring food, offer help, and say goodbye. Their hearts are in the right place, but a steady stream of visitors can quickly become overwhelming for both you and your loved one.
Double-Checking Your Will: A Guide for Hospice Patients
Being in hospice care gives you time to focus on what matters most. For many people, this includes making sure their family will be taken care of after they're gone. If you wrote a will years ago, now might be the perfect time to review it and make sure it still reflects your wishes.
Important Documents Needed During and After Hospice
When your loved one enters hospice care, you're focused on comfort, family time, and making each day as good as possible. The last thing you want to think about is paperwork. But having the right documents ready can save you stress and help things go smoothly when you need them most.
What Happens When A Hospice Patient’s 6-Month Prognosis Changes?
When your loved one first entered hospice care, you likely heard the phrase "six months or less to live" from their doctor. This timeline can feel both scary and somehow concrete. It gives you a frame to work with, a sense of what to expect. But what happens when that timeline shifts?
Managing Diabetes During Home Hospice
When your loved one has diabetes and is receiving hospice care, you may feel torn between maintaining strict blood sugar control and focusing on comfort during their final journey. The goals of diabetes management shift significantly in hospice care, moving from preventing long-term complications to maintaining comfort, preventing immediate distress, and supporting quality of life.
Mini-Gardens for Hospice Patients
There's something deeply comforting about watching a seed grow into a plant, tending to green leaves, and being surrounded by living beauty. For hospice patients spending most of their time indoors, creating small, manageable gardens can provide purpose, gentle activity, and connection to the natural world that nurtures both body and spirit.
Managing Incontinence for Home Hospice Caretakers
Incontinence affects millions of people and can be one of the most challenging aspects of home health care for both patients and family caregivers. Whether it's a temporary issue following surgery or a long-term condition related to aging or illness, incontinence doesn't have to compromise your loved one's dignity or quality of life. With the right products, techniques, and emotional approach, families can manage incontinence effectively while preserving comfort and self-respect.
Managing Medication for Home Hospice Patients
Managing medications at home can feel overwhelming, especially when you're caring for a loved one who takes multiple prescriptions from different doctors. It can become very confusing trying to coordinate between multiple caregivers, or working around schedules involving doctor appointments, nurse visits, and even everyday things like naps and meals. Whether you're new to caregiving or have been managing medications for months, having a clear system in place helps prevent dangerous errors while giving you confidence and peace of mind.
Summer Craft Projects for Grandchildren and Grandparents During Hospice Care
Summer visits with grandparents receiving home hospice care offer precious opportunities for meaningful connection and memory-making. While energy levels may be lower and activities need to be gentler than in years past, quiet craft projects can provide wonderful ways for grandchildren and grandparents to spend quality time together, creating both beautiful keepsakes and lasting memories.
Coastal Living and End-of-Life Care: How Ocean Views and Fresh Sea Air Support Healing in Curry County
There's something uniquely peaceful about living along Oregon's southern coast, where the mighty Pacific meets rugged cliffs and sandy shores. For families navigating end-of-life care in Curry County, this stunning coastal environment offers more than just beautiful scenery – it provides a natural sanctuary that enhances comfort, promotes healing, and creates profound moments of peace during life's most precious final chapter.
Supporting Home Hospice Patients Through Sleepless Hours
Sleep disturbances are among the most common challenges faced by hospice patients, leaving both patients and their caregivers searching for ways to navigate the long hours of nighttime wakefulness. While medications and pain levels often contribute to disrupted sleep patterns, the quiet hours between midnight and dawn need not become sources of anxiety or frustration.
DIY Massage Techniques for Bedbound Hospice Patients
While professional massage therapy requires specialized training, family caregivers can learn simple, safe techniques that bring comfort and healing to their loved ones.
Effectively Advocating for Your Loved One in Hospice
When your loved one begins receiving hospice care at home, you become part of a collaborative team dedicated to ensuring their comfort, dignity, and quality of life during this meaningful time. At Coastal, we believe that effective communication between families and healthcare providers forms the foundation of exceptional hospice care. Our team wants nothing more than to work closely with you to address every concern, answer every question, and ensure your loved one receives the most compassionate, comprehensive care possible.
What Happens After Hospice?
When a loved one dies at home under hospice care, the immediate aftermath brings a complex mix of grief, relief, and practical necessities. The home that has served as a place of care and comfort suddenly requires transformation as families navigate both the emotional reality of loss and the practical tasks of returning to daily life. This transition, while necessary, often feels overwhelming when grief is fresh and energy is depleted.