Mental health, while underdiscussed, is as important as physical health. Not getting the appropriate support for mental health can create challenges in a person’s life and the medical care for their physical health. When a hospice patient is also diagnosed with mental health challenges, special care is taken to include mental health support.
What are consequences of untreated mental illness in hospice patients?
When a person’s mental health is not cared for like it should be, it can create numerous issues in their life. These can include:
- Family & relationship conflicts
- Social isolation
- Decreased enjoyment in life
- Misuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs
- Difficulty excelling in work or school
- Financial and legal issues
- Self-harm or being a danger to others
- Issues with physical health including: obesity, heart disease, weakened immune system, etc.
All of these issues can create complications for daily life for an otherwise healthy individual, and a seriously ill hospice patient too.
How does hospice care help manage mental health issues?
Hospice mental health can be very challenging.
Best-case scenario, a hospice patient with a mental health issue will already be receiving good treatment prior to his/her hospice admission. If a mental health treatment is working for the patient, they can continue that treatment while receiving hospice care. For example, if they are taking antidepressants for mental health, their hospice care plans will reflect that, and they can continue taking their medication.
However, every situation is different and not always best-case scenario. Unmanaged or ill-managed mental health can create issues for the hospice care team by adding challenges to provide the care the patient needs. Many patients with undiagnosed or ill-managed serious mental health conditions can’t commit to their goals of care. Often, the patient will change their minds and revoke hospice care. While this is certainly their right, unmanaged or ill-managed symptoms and pain from their serious illness can make the situation more difficult for the patient and their caregiver.
Meeting patients where they are
In healthcare, we need to meet patients where they are. That means we need to respect their choices when it comes to treatment options and circumstances in their lives, and work with them according to their capabilities and limitations.
In hospice care, we work with patients of all capabilities, cultures, care plans, and socio-economic statuses. Our goal is to meet patients where they are and treat the patient, rather than the disease.
With hospice mental health, the hospice care team first must identify if the issue truly is a mental health issue or if it is a symptom of their terminal illness or a side-effect of their medication. Some mental health issues can benefit from a variety of treatments such as meditation, guided imagery, or anti-anxiety medication. The hospice care team can assist with this.
If you or a loved one is in need of help from St. Anthony’s Hospice or Palliative Care, please call us at (270) 826-2326.
