Seeing your elderly parent's health decline day by day can be a difficult thing to witness. You love your parent with all your heart and hate to see him or her like this. However, it is important to recognize if your parent is not getting any better and may require hospice care.

Here are five signs your elderly parent needs hospice care.

Treatment Is No Longer Working

If your parent has a terminal illness, there will come a time when the treatment will stop working entirely. The treatment is no longer effective at managing the symptoms and your loved one has a lot of discomfort. If this is the case, a hospice worker can come to your parent's home and keep him or her as comfortable as possible.

No Appetite

Adequate nutrition is especially important for the elderly because it helps keep up their strength. However, if your parent does not have an appetite and has lot a lot of weight, his or her body might be slowing down.

Frequent Visits to the Hospital

It is not uncommon for people to have increased hospital visits as they get older. However, if your loved one has been admitted to the hospital multiple times within that last few months, his or her health may be declining. A hospice worker can provide your parent with the proper medical care so that he or she does not have to continue to go to the hospital all the time.

Sleeping More Often

When the body is shutting down, a person does not have the strength to stay awake and may sleep more than usual. If you have noticed that your parent sleeps most of the day away, hospice may be necessary.

Need Help With Personal Care

If your parent's health is declining, he or she may not be able to move around as easily and tend to his or her personal care needs. Your parent may have trouble bathing, brushing his or her teeth and even getting dressed without assistance. A hospice worker can help your parent with all of these tasks.

If your parent is displaying any of these signs, you should at least consider hospice care. With hospice care, your parent will be taken care of well in his or her last days. Schedule a consultation with a reputable hospice agency to learn more about their services and how they can benefit your loved one.

Share