With around 20 million people needing some form of end-of-life care in the world, you might be dealing with a loved one that is terminally ill. If so, we understand that this is a difficult situation to go through. We have put together this guide to share our recommendations on how to help someone you love that is terminally ill.
Keep reading so that you can be there for your loved one as much as possible.
Ask What They Want
Because everyone is different and everyone will have a different reaction to a terminally ill diagnosis, you want to ask what their own preferences are for how they want to live the rest of their lives. Make sure that you don’t push your own desires on them, instead, you want to be sensitive to their requests.
Ask if they want any assistance with healthcare paperwork, legal paperwork, or even with their finances. Some people want help with choosing palliative care so that they are cared for as much as possible with everyday needs. Some care facilities will also make sure that everyone there has the option to participate in group activities to stay occupied and entertained.
Share Memories
Something else you want to do with a loved one that is terminally ill is to take the time to talk and share your favorite memories together. Look at old videos, pictures, and photo albums to speak about these memories.
You might also want to go visit their favorite places or their old neighborhood. Take the time to listen to their childhood memories and what they enjoyed doing while they were growing up.
It is a good idea to also create a life journal where their stories are preserved for future generations. The goal is to give them your complete and undivided attention while they are sharing all of their fondest memories.
Ask for Help
If you are the primary caregiver of someone dealing with a terminal illness you don’t want to do it all on your own. Ask friends and family to pitch in with doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, taking care of a pet, running errands, or if you need a break.
If you’re not feeling very proficient in something like financial paperwork and there is a friend or relative that is more knowledgeable don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Wish List
Sit down and create a wish list with your loved one. Ask them what they want to accomplish during their last days of living, if they want to see a certain person, visit a certain place, or travel somewhere special.
Make a list of all of these wishes and try to do as many of these as possible. If they have places they want to travel to, but they physically can’t, then you want to try to bring these places to your loved one via movies, photos, food, and experiences. If you celebrate any special occasions where relatives can’t attend you can use the power of technology to set up a video chat or do a live stream so that everyone can be a part of the celebration.
Respect
One of the most important things you can do is respect your loved one’s sense of dignity. Even though they might be very ill, they more than likely still value their sense of self and their privacy. Include them in the conversation when they are present in the room and never speak about them with others as if they aren’t in the same room.
Even when you think they are sleeping, they can still hear you so make sure you leave the room to discuss their health condition. Keep their privacy in mind when they are bathing or changing. If you need to help them with changing their clothes, keep them covered with a sheet and only uncover one body part at a time.
For those that used to take great pride in how they looked, keep this in mind and brush their hair, do their nails, etc.
Ready to Help Your Loved One?
With our tips above, you can take action and help your loved one feel loved and cared for during this difficult time. There is no reason that your loved one should face life alone. We know that you will experience a ton of emotions during this time so make sure to also take care of yourself to avoid dealing with any type of anxiety or depression.
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