
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 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.
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.