Celebrating the holidays when a family member is facing end-of-life issues is not an easy situation. This brings with it a unique set of challenges and emotions that are different than dealing with the same situation at any time of the year. It’s important to find a way to balance celebrating with the reality of what is happening with a family member who is near the end of life. Hospice care providers can be a huge help in this endeavor.
Adjust Expectations
Many families have some firmly entrenched holiday traditions. When a family member is in hospice care, it’s incredibly difficult for families to continue with those traditions. Managing expectations around what is possible and what isn’t during this time is really important because it helps everyone in the family get on the same page.
Consider Comfort
Hospice care is all about ensuring that the patient is as comfortable as possible. During the holiday season, comfort is even more important. Decorating with familiar items might be important, for instance. It can also help to combine those familiar decorations and events with soothing elements, like softer lighting.
Prioritize Meaningful Events
During the holidays, everyone is spread a little thinner than usual. That means it might be better to focus on quality rather than quantity. Smaller, more relaxed gatherings can help to allow everyone to spend time with the person who is near the end of life in a more meaningful way. It’s all about making those moments special and less intimidating.
Keep Patients Involved
When patients who are near death can remain involved in these types of decisions, it’s important to involve them in the planning while not overwhelming them. They might have preferences on decorations, activities, or ways to help family members celebrate more simply. Keeping patients involved helps them to feel connected and included, especially at this difficult time.
Stay Flexible
It’s important to stay flexible during the holidays no matter what else is going on. But when a beloved family member is in hospice care, it’s even more urgent to keep flexibility in mind. Plans often need to be adjusted on short notice based on everything from energy levels to changing health needs.
Capture Memories
Some parts of the holiday celebration may not be something that hospice patients can attend themselves. It’s a good idea to capture memories, take pictures, shoot videos, and more, all to share with the patient later. It’s also important to capture memories with the person who is near death so that families have those memories at future celebrations to share with everyone.
Practice Gratitude
The holidays are about gratitude and celebrating moments of reflection. It can be so difficult to feel gratitude when a beloved family member is dying, but it’s important to find those moments of gratitude and embrace them. This can help with managing feelings as a family member’s health continues to worsen.
Celebrating the holidays when a family member needs the help of hospice care is a time when families need to plan thoughtfully. Hospice can help to implement plans that allow families to celebrate the joyful aspects of the season while also respectfully memorializing the family member they’re losing.