End of Life care is a natural progression of the work we do at Epoch since most of our elders move-in for life! I have cared for my residents for many years now and it's a bitter fact that death is inevitable (in spite of all our training and professionalism), but here at Epoch, I have learnt over the years, never to lose hope!
End of Life care starts when a resident reaches a critical stage of their life, either due to the progression in the medical condition or due to any chronic medical condition. When this happens, our first step is to involve the family and mutually align to make changes in the residents’ care plan- change it from a curative care plan to a palliative one, where the focus is on preserving the quality of life as best as possible. Throughout this phase, we also counsel families, help them with the prognosis, what to expect next and how to deal with it.
End of Life care doesn't mean we lose hope. Instead, we ensure that their wishes are fulfilled, and it’s this time when we focus more, on doing everything that we can to make the resident as comfortable as possible.
Over the years, I have witnessed what we call a peaceful death, which may not be for all, but at least for most. When we are prepared and when we help the family prepare beforehand, everyone gets to have a chance to a proper closure. A proper closure is not only important to the resident’s family but for us as well. They become a part of our lives too and it becomes even more difficult to see them pass away.
There’s nothing better than helping someone pass away peacefully as they wanted, surrounded by their loved ones. Seeing this happen, gives us a sense of gratitude. In the end, our minds are at peace when we see that their suffering has come to an end and they are finally resting. With the satisfaction that we did everything we could, we continue to give our best!
"End of Life care" is a natural progression of the work we do at Epoch since most of our elders move-in for life! I have cared for my residents for many years now and it's a bitter fact that death is inevitable (in spite of all our training and professionalism), but here at Epoch, I have learnt over the years, never to lose hope!
