If you have a loved one who has reached the end of the road, this is obviously a trying time for you and your family. While your loved one can be made as comfortable as possible through palliative care, it's understandable if there is grief or other passionate emotions going on in the room. If you want to make your loved one's final days as pleasant as possible, here are a few tips that might help when it comes to your daily conversations.
Let Them Talk
One of the best things a caretaker can do in this situation is to keep their mouth shut and their ears open. Let your loved one speak their mind. If your loved one is scared or anxious, keep listening and don't try to change the subject, even if it makes you uncomfortable. This is about getting your loved one through his or her final moments and sometimes just talking about death or their fears can be a way to release some of their pent-up emotion.
Being Present Might Be Enough
While you can make small talk if your loved one is up to it, in many cases during palliative care, your loved one's energy level will begin to fall. Don't feel the need to break a long silence for no reason. Yes, it can feel uncomfortable and even awkward at times to be sitting there in a completely silent room, but what is most important at this time is your presence, not your words. Try holding their hand and just let them know that you are still there.
Take a Break
Finally, don't forget to give yourself some space to work out your own emotions. If death is not immediately imminent, you can likely leave the room for an hour or longer and give yourself a breather. Rotate in and out with other relatives or friends or make use of the palliative care professionals who will be at your loved one's bedside. Your top priority is of course to keep your loved one calm, but you need to give yourself time to begin the grieving process and mentally prepare for what lies ahead.
Dealing with the end of life of a loved one is obviously tough. When interacting with someone on their death bed, let them speak freely and if you don't know what to say, simply let them know you are there and that you care about them. For more tips, reach out to a palliative care specialist today.