Alzheimer Cuidados Palliative y de Hospice

Cuando un ser querido padece Alzheimerel diagnóstico puede alterar la vida de toda la familia. El Alzheimer, una forma de demencia, destruye los recuerdos y muchas otras funciones mentales, lo que acaba imposibilitando a la persona funcionar de forma independiente o incluso recordar a sus familiares y amigos.

Ver cómo se deterioran las capacidades físicas y mentales de un ser querido a causa del Alzheimer puede dejarle desolado y asustado. Cuidar a un enfermo de Alzheimer es también una enorme responsabilidad, ya que requiere cuidados prácticos y, en las fases avanzadas, durante las 24 horas del día.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed planning for your loved one’s Alzheimer’s care, know that you’re not alone. There are a number of resources and options that can help, including Alzheimer’s hospice and palliative care. Read on to learn more about these specialized forms of care, the many services they provide, and when each may be appropriate for your loved one.

What Is Palliative Care for Alzheimer’s Disease?

Palliative care for Alzheimer’s disease is a specialized form of healthcare that focuses on improving quality of life. With palliative care, your loved one will continue medical treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, coupled with care focused on their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

What Is Alzheimer’s Hospice Care?

Hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease is end-of-life care that aims to provide comfort and enhance quality of life during your loved one’s final days, weeks, and months. The goal of hospice care is to relieve pain and other symptoms from Alzheimer’s as your loved one approaches the end of their life.

Palliative Care for Alzheimer’s Disease

Anyone at any stage of any chronic disease, including Alzheimer’s, is eligible for palliative care. Whether your loved one has been recently diagnosed or they’ve been living with Alzheimer’s for years, enrolling in palliative care is a good option to help them and your family better manage the symptoms of the disease.

A palliative care team is made up of doctors, nurses, social workers, home health aides, counselors, and other specialists trained in helping patients and their families cope with the challenges of life-limiting diseases like Alzheimer’s.

In addition to treatment from the primary care team, the following services are available to enhance your loved one’s quality of life with palliative care:

• Asistencia en tareas rutinarias, como bañarse, asearse, vestirse y comer.
• Aliviar el dolor y las molestias con diversas terapias, como medicamentos, fisioterapia y masajes.
• Medicamentos para aliviar otros síntomas o efectos secundarios de la medicación, como náuseas, problemas digestivos y ansiedad.
• Equipo médico, como andador y silla de ruedas
• Consultas dietéticas para ayudar a garantizar que su ser querido recibe una nutrición adecuada.
• Terapia ocupacional para ayudar a que el entorno vital de su ser querido sea más adecuado para vivir con demencia
• Asesoramiento en salud mental y espiritual si se desea

End-of-Life Care for Alzheimer’s Patients: When to Consider Hospice

Thinking about end-of-life care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is never easy, but there will come a time when the disease progresses to a point where symptoms become too unmanageable for home care on your own. To begin Alzheimer’s hospice care, you’ll need a physician’s referral, confirming that your loved one’s life expectancy is six months or less. 

Signs it’s time to consider hospice care for Alzheimer’s patients include:

• Incapacidad para comer, bañarse, vestirse o levantarse de la cama por sí mismos.
• Infecciones frecuentes y recurrentes
• Pérdida de apetito o dejar de comer
• Pérdida de peso inexplicable
• Visitas frecuentes a urgencias
• Incontinencia urinaria y/o intestinal

Note that you can receive hospice care at a healthcare facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, or hospice center, or from the comfort of your own home.

Hospice Care for Alzheimer’s: What Services Are Available?

The goal of Alzheimer’s hospice care is to help your loved one feel as comfortable as possible during their final days, weeks, and months of life. By the time Alzheimer’s reaches its final stages, your loved one will likely be bedridden and unable to eat or perform personal care tasks on their own. They may also be unable to speak or communicate. They may also be more vulnerable to infections, such as pneumonia.

Your hospice care team is specially trained to care for individuals living with these symptoms. They can help make your loved one’s life more comfortable by:

• Suministro de medicación para aliviar el dolor y otros síntomas como náuseas y dificultad para respirar.
• Asegurarse de que se les cambia de posición cada dos horas para mantener un flujo sanguíneo saludable y prevenir las úlceras por presión.
• Controlar su peso y nutrición
• Ayuda para comer y beber 
• Ayudar en las tareas de cuidado personal, como bañarse, asearse y usar el baño.
• Vigilancia de signos de infección o heridas, como cortes o llagas, y administración rápida de tratamiento.
• Hacer que su entorno sea lo más cómodo posible, como poner su música favorita y proporcionar almohadas y mantas suaves en su cama.

How Alzheimer’s Hospice Care Helps Loved Ones

Family members are an important part of hospice care. You’ll play an active role in developing your loved one’s care plan, but there are many resources available to you personally, to help you cope with this difficult time. These include:

• Asistencia al cuidador y cuidados de relevo (alivio de las responsabilidades del cuidador para que pueda centrarse en su propio bienestar)
• Asesoramiento en duelo
• Conexión con grupos de apoyo
• Asesoramiento financiero para ayudar a planificar los gastos al final de la vida
• Asistencia u orientación espiritual 

FAQ for Alzheimer’s Hospice

Here are some frequently asked questions about palliative and hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease.

Resumen

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that robs people of their memory, cognitive abilities, and many other bodily functions. If your loved one has Alzheimer’s, there are a number of options that can help your family cope, including palliative and hospice care.

La familia de empresas Sage está aquí para responder a cualquier pregunta que pueda tener.

Referencias

• Hoja informativa sobre la enfermedad de AlzheimerNIH, 2023.
• Palliative Care of the Patient with Dementia, NIH, 2021.
• Cuidados en las últimas fases de la enfermedad de AlzheimerNIH, 2024.
• Causa de muerte en pacientes con trastornos de demencia., NIH, 2019.