Fatigue

One of the benefits of hospice is that it relives the fatigue that often assails caregivers. Taking care of a dying family member is a lot of work. Especially when they can't eat, go to the restroom, take baths, get dressed, or medicate themselves.

Hospice supplies nurses, aides, and volunteers to help do all of that for you, so you can take care of the everyday things about life as well as spend quality time with your family member. It is really a great service.

Unfortunately the fatique hits the nurses, aides and therapists as well. Two of my clients have been with us over 6 months, and one just hit the year mark. Neither of them can care for themselves or can speak. I feel tired when I think about going out to see them. Each week they are they same, not worse, not better. When I am there I focus and bring my attention to the client and do my best job possible, but prior and post visit, I get tired. I find myself wishing for some sort of change so that my SOAP notes and weekly reports can have a little variety in them.

Another one of my clinets, one that has dementia, but is still fun to talk to (even if I have to negotiate the conversation through her perception that I'm a realtive, or that we are at a family reunion instead of a nursing home) just hit a turn in her health. I think she will be declining rapidly. It feels unfair that she is starting to decline and these other clients are not. I know it is selfish, because my real hangup is that they aren't as fun to visit as other clients.