Importance of Hearing Care In Hospice – Value For Last Conversations

Ranjeet KumarReviewed by Mr. Ranjeet Kumar Sr. Audiologist, Speech Therapist & Cochlear Implant Specialist, BASLP on Apr 27th, 2020 written by Editorial Team

Can you imagine you have a health problem in the last stage of life? And you are not able to connect with your friends and family members. Then, of course, you feel lonely, stressed, or hear your doctor’s recommendations for your care. Hearing care in hospice is important.

Hearing loss in hospice patients can frequently be mixed up for dementia (madness or mental illness). So the mindlessness can leave a patient feeling helpless, minimized, and unhappy.

But in the actual case, many of the asylum patients experience hearing impairment in this exact situation. Therefore, it becomes extremely important to know the role of hearing care in Hospice or in a nursing home.

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Let’s discuss this in detail.


Role Of Hearing Care In Hospice

Hospice is the field of medical science and it focuses on the comprehensive care of patients with terminal illnesses. Some chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and the diseases related to hearing loss like these, naturally reach the end of the stage.

So its symptoms become uncontrollable. Subsequently, an end-organize condition can fundamentally hinder a man’s useful status and personal satisfaction. In the last stage of life when there is no option to cure then, there is one option left which is Hospice Care.

There are a lot of challenges that a patient, as well as their caregivers and family members, face in the infirmary. Most often hearing the loss in sickbay patients are treated mistakenly as dementia.

And this can make a patient feel helpless, lonely, and marginalized. Hearing loss is a common problem mostly among the aged group.

In addition to that, the patients having cancer also face hearing issues due to various sessions of chemotherapy. So we can say that one in every five patients in asylum care faces hearing issues.

The role of hearing care in hospice is very crucial. Hearing care in hospice includes medical care through an expert, management of pain, support to the patient emotionally as well as spiritually.

They also provide support to the patient’s loved ones. Hearing care in hospice involves the team of specialists including, the patient’s primary physician, hospice physician, occupational therapist, speech therapist, spiritual counselors, nurses, home health aides, audiologists, etc.

Hearing care in hospice is provided to patients to make them feel comfortable as well as their loved ones. It doesn’t mean to hasten or prolong life.

There are two very important issues for the end of life care. Pain management and social, cultural, and religious needs. These two issues make communication the most essential element of hospice care.

For example, a patient must have a full understanding of the medical care being provided, including pain management and medicines; Not only for security reasons but also to feel a sense of control.

How are they feeling? What do they want? These questions, ask and understand, can go a long way in improving the quality of care.


Services Available In Hospice Care

The services provided depends upon the patient’s needs and medical condition in a hospice. services provided by healthcare shelter include:

  • Routine medical assessment and evaluation by a physician.
  • Depending on the needs and circumstances of the patient, nurse visits from daily to weekly.
  • Spiritual counseling.
  • Social worker evaluation.
  • Volunteer services.

Healthcare mainly focuses on reducing potentially intolerable physical, emotional, psycho-social, and spiritual suffering encountered by patients during the dying process.

Stay Connected To Hospice Patients

It is very important for hospice patients to be connected to the people around them. It’s very important to improve the quality of care. So the patients should continue to be part of the conversations.

To do so there are some steps but first and very important among them is to determine the presence of hearing the loss in the patients.

After determining the presence of hearing loss below are some tips mentioned for the caregivers and the family members for helping their loved ones.

  • Make sure the hearing device is in working order and clean.
  • Use the hearing aid as much as you can.
  • To help understand and remember any medical information, a hearing third-party support person should be present.
  • The caregivers can be asked if the patient had heard and understood what was said, and to repeat it back.
  • Attract the patient’s attention before speaking.
  • If possible, keep yourself at the eye level with the patient while speaking.
  • Speak clearly, but do not shout.
  • To increase communication, place a dry erase board or pen and pad on the patient’s bed.
  • Let the patient wear their glasses so that they can see you speaking
  • Before speaking, reduce or eliminate the distracting background.
  • Remember that people in the last stages of life, especially those with hearing loss, can get certain voices, such as a dim TV, upset. Be sure to communicate with them in relation to their desires regarding noise level.

Some Complex In Taking Care Of Hospice Patients

  • Physical symptoms are treated like pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, constipation, confusion, etc.
  • Counseling about the anxiety, uncertainty, grief, and fear associated with an end of life and death.
  • Rendering support to the patient, their families, and caregivers with the overwhelming physical and psychological stress of a terminal illness.
  • Directing patients and families through the troublesome relational and psycho-social issues, and helping them with discovering a conclusion.
  • The attention should be focused on personal, religious, spiritual, and cultural values.
  • Helping patients and families making their desires known. And furthermore achieving money related terminations (living will put the stock, ahead of time order, memorial service courses of action).

Importance Of Last Conversations

Patients with hearing loss are not needed to be alone and isolated. From participating in decisions in their last days, allowing them to hear the voice of their family, paying attention to the care of the listeners will make them live as long as possible like active participants in their own lives.

The important thing is that no harm will be given anymore because things can be unheard or overlooked between family members and their loved ones.

It is very important to have a final conversation with the family. And hopefully, new movements towards understanding and working with patients with hearing loss in Dharamsala will lead to more compassion in life.


How To Setup Hospice Hearing Program

All of us in hearing care know how disastrous it can be when no person can easily communicate. At the end of life, being able to stay connected to family and friends is important.

Often, families are reluctant to move on hearing aids because the patient may be stable or they are afraid of large expenditures.

However, research shows that most of the audiologists are not interested in becoming part of hospice care. So one can start by making their own hearing care community to help others.

For this, there are some steps to get started. Let’s have a look at them:

  • Contact Your Local Hospice Organization
  • Create Awareness of Your Program at Local Medical Facilities
  • Supply Your Program with Hearing Aid Donations
  • Learn How to Make Instant Custom Earmolds
  • Get Your Staff Onboard
  • Streamline Your Office Processes So You Can Maximize Time for Your Hospice Hearing Program
  • Believe in the Silver Bullet of Private Practice Success

Consideration

Hospice patients with hearing loss require not to be lonely and detached from taking an interest in choices in regards to their last days to enabling them to hear the voices of their family.

Consideration regarding hearing can empower those with hearing misfortune to be dynamic members in their own particular lives for whatever length of time that conceivable.

If you suspect anyone who has a hearing loss, do not delay getting help. Visit our clinic in Delhi NCR to find a hearing care professional near you to get a painless, easy hearing test. For more information contact us at +91-9327901950 (Toll-Free).


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