Senior citizens with severe illnesses like cancer have varying degrees of need, especially as the disease progresses.
In assisted living and palliative care, seniors and older adults in need of assistance can experience security and care and achieve a quality of life.
Can individuals continue their lives in normalcy in assisted and palliative care? Also, what are the benefits of receiving care in facilities that offer these services?
This article helps shine a positive light on the advantages of assisted living and palliative care. This article also provides insight into the different types of palliative care given to people with terminal diseases such as cancer.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Among these cancers are rare types like mesothelioma, which is linked to asbestos exposure. Individuals should consult their physician to get more information about this cancer, the mesothelioma stages, treatment, and prognosis.
Benefits of Assisted Living and Palliative Care
Ensuring a good quality of life for people with severe diseases like cancer is paramount, especially in the disease’s advanced conditions. Many opt to entrust their loved ones to assisted living and palliative care in a facility or a hospice.
Many healthcare providers for senior citizens and people with severe medical conditions offer three primary services to help achieve a good quality of life.
These primary services given to people needing care during their senior life are listed below.
Assisted Living
Some seniors and older adults require extra help managing their personal needs to ensure that their quality of life is not affected. Assisted living is a specialized service that healthcare professionals give to people who have difficulty managing their daily routines, such as nutrition, hygiene, and medication intake.
Here are the benefits of having assisted living for seniors and older adults.
- Assistance in daily living: In assisted living, healthcare providers assist and create a daily routine that fits a person’s preferences and needs. An individual’s personal and medical conditions are supervised to provide the best service for them.
- Safe and secure place to live: Through assisted living, patients are taken care of and supervised to avoid mishaps and accidents that a person may experience.
- Medical and healthcare availability: With assisted living, seniors in the program will always receive their necessary medication. People in this program have constant access to healthcare facilities and medical personnel.
- Supervised nutrition and wellness: Along with medical supervision, nutritional supervision are among those provided by assisted living professionals. Seniors will always get their necessary nutritional intake through well-prepared meals that will give individuals both health and satisfaction.
Palliative Care
There are instances when people need specialized medical assistance, primarily due to severe conditions such as cancer.
A person in need of palliative care requires procedures and services that ensure their quality of life despite the severity of their illness.
Palliative care focuses on providing patients with support, love, and comfort. Family and loved ones are actively encouraged to participate in providing this care for people who need this type of assistance.
Here are some benefits of palliative care for seniors and older adults with serious illnesses:
- Help patients and relatives to adjust to the situation: People with severe illnesses tend to experience stress, anxiety, and depression. Through palliative care, these concerns can be addressed by professionals.
- Provides supervised pain management: People with serious illnesses tend to experience long bouts of pain. Through palliative care, concerns about chronic pain can be alleviated by medical supervision and support.
- Improves quality of life: Through palliative care, professionals can help patients enjoy life and become as optimistic as possible despite the illness they’re fighting. People in this program are assured that they are there to help them through this challenging phase.
Independent Living
Seniors can enjoy independent living in a community, well-supervised by health care providers and hospice care professionals. These communities are often exclusive for older adults and seniors.
In these communities, individuals are given constant medical supervision, an environment similar to being at home but alongside other adults and seniors.
Living in an independent community requires a well-thought-out decision between relatives and family members. They should weigh the pros and cons of such an agreement and how independent living can help achieve the quality of life for people planning to join this community.
Here are some benefits of an independent living community:
- Peace of mind: Seniors or older adults in independent living communities experience an easy life. People can enjoy the day in and day out without the rigors and stress of life. They don’t need to worry about bills, chores, or maintaining appliances.
- Lessen the loneliness: People during their senior years tend to have less company in their homes. Living in these communities resolves this issue as people join together to face life and enjoy it to the fullest. These communities are kept lively by professionals and service providers.
- Promote wellness and fitness: Independent communities have organized wellness and fitness sessions to keep individuals physically active.