People are rarely prepared for the physical and emotional demands of caring for a loved one. Family caregivers, usually a spouse or adult child, can get emotionally and physically overwhelmed.
When a physician writes an order to Hospice by the Sea for hospice care for a patient in their home, the order puts in place an extraordinary level of support, respite and education for the family caregivers. The Caregiver Programs at Hospice by the Sea reduce stress, increase well being and boost the self confidence of family caregivers. Providing caregivers the means to nurture and care for themselves, helps them garner new strength to continue the challenging task of caring for a loved one dealing with a chronic illness or facing end-of-life issues. Plus, the care-giving skills they learn from hospice home care nurses and CNAs improve the quality of care they provide their loved ones at home.
Hospice by the Sea supports hospice family caregivers with social workers to offer guidance through emotional issues, provide advice on how to reduce stress and emotional help to prepare them for the impending death. Spiritual care counselors and rabbis are available to discuss spiritual issues and offer solace. Hospice by the Sea also organizes “comfort circles,” support groups for all family caregivers in our community, which meet to socialize, share experiences and support each other.
Respite for caregivers comes in many forms at Hospice by the Sea. Certified nursing assistants come to the home to bathe, dress and groom patients and assist in other personal care needs. Hospice by the Seas own volunteers are on hand to run errands and free up time that the caregiver can spend with their loved one, plus they visit with patients, offering empathy and friendship. Hospice by the Seas partnership with Volunteers for the Homebound and Family Caregivers, a non-profit organization in Palm Beach County, expands their ability to provide respite at home and assistance with errands.
When the demands of caring for a loved one who is terminal 24/7 become too daunting, Hospice by the Sea will move the patient from their home to a Care Center in Boca Raton or Hollywood for five days to give the family caregiver time to recharge and refocus. These five days of respite are available each month that a family is utilizing hospice services in their home.
Although Hospice by the Sea nurses and staff are frequently in the patients home, the lions share of the care needed by the hospice patient will be delivered by the family caregiver. Caring for someone confined to a wheelchair or hospital bed is challenging and certain tasks (pulling a patient back up towards the head of the bed, for example) have the potential for injuring the family caregiver if done improperly. Home care nurses and CNAs help keep family caregivers safe and boost their confidence by teaching them how to manage medications, to easily turn and reposition people in bed, to prevent falls and to do everything else required for their loved one. Home care staff also offer advice on planning daily schedules and meals, and help patients and caregivers gain a clearer understanding of complex medical information.
For the past 30 years, Hospice by the Sea has been supporting families in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Family Caregiver Programs have given family caregivers the skills and nurturing support to enhance the quality of care they provide their loved ones, plus the resources to care for themselves. To kick off their next 30 years, Hospice by the Sea will be sharing their care-giving knowledge with ALL family caregivers not just those receiving hospice services through a new, 42-minute DVD, “A Lifeline for Caregivers.”
The professionally-filmed DVDs content follows the guidelines of The Joint Commission and will be invaluable to anyone caring for a loved one confined to a wheelchair or a bed. Some of the content topics in the 18 chapters include: fall prevention, moving a patient in bed, making an occupied bed, ambulation/getting around, administration and storage of medications, mouth care, urinary drainage bags, and using oxygen safely.
Hospice by the Seas professional relations liaisons will be visiting physicians offices soon to share how the family caregivers of their patients can obtain this educational DVD and learn new skills and gain confidence in caring for their loved ones at home.
People are rarely prepared for the physical and emotional demands of caring for a loved one. Family caregivers, usually a spouse or adult child, can get emotionally and physically overwhelmed. 
