Approaching end of life is not only a challenging time for the individual, but also for the family. There are many decisions that must be made in order for the individual to receive the proper care in the process. One must think about choosing hospice care, palliative care or other end of live services. Also, one must make sure that their finances are in order, does one have special arrangements for the funeral or how about setting up a living will? A great number of individuals who enter end of life care have a majority of it figured out; some leave it until the last minute. End of life care is not only about finances and advanced care directives, but also where one wants to live and important decisions about their care.
As social workers
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Hospice is where a multi-disciplinary team of physicians, nurses, hospice aides, social workers, bereavement counselors and volunteers work together to address the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of each patient and family (Hospice of Southern Illinois, Inc. website, 2016, para. 1). A few benefits of hospice are that it can be used by individuals who choose to remain at their homes, stay in a hospital or even reside at a nursing home. Benefits that the hospice program provides is that of a support system to meet with the family and the patient regarding his/her care, team collaboration involving treatment and care, and bereavement follow-up for the family (Gumucio, 2016, para. 3). Hospice is a program that provides care and services to families and patients who are terminally …show more content…
Various individuals will take the time to set up a living will, which is a document that lets people state their wishes for end-of-life medical care, in case they become unable to communicate their decisions; it has no power after death (Randolph, 2015, para. 1). Patients can have restrictions on their health care such as no tube feedings or being kept alive on life saving equipment or a do not resuscitate order. This gives the patient the opportunity to be their own person and be in control of their care and financial