Proper Nutrition While in Hospice Care
When a loved one has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and their eating habits begin to change, it can become very concerning for their caregivers. Healthy people eat a wide range of healthy foods that convert to needed energy and provide their bodies with nutrients. People with terminal illnesses have very different end-of-life nutritional care needs. Their appetite decreases and they no longer require as many calories as the body begins to shut down. This is normal and hospice care ensures the patient and their family are provided with the proper end-of-life nutritional guidance and care.
Guidelines for Caregivers
While your loved one is in hospice care, nutritional advice is given face-to-face by certified and trained nutritionists. As the stages of the end-of-life progress, nutritional care needs will evolve. Routine hospice care nurses will also be able to help with meal prep and give advice on foods that will offer both comfort and proper sustenance. If you want to prepare for the future and get an idea of what end-of-life nutrition care looks like, we’ve laid out some helpful general guidelines below.
Small Meals and Snacks
With a diminished appetite, you’ll want to focus on small meals and snacks that are packed with calories and protein. Protein shakes are excellent meal replacement options when regular meals are too much for the patient to stomach. Nutritional supplements can also be given.
Frequent Fluids in Small Amounts
Staying hydrated is important for everyone, especially the terminally ill. When full glasses of water or juice can’t be tolerated, switch to offering small amounts and sips often. Avoid giving fluids with meals so they don’t fill up on liquid instead of food. When the patient no longer wants to eat or drink, offer ice chips to help comfort them.
Eat Slowly
A slow and steady pace wins the race when it comes to end-of-life nutritional care. One of the hardest things for family members to witness while their loved one is in hospice is the loss of appetite and weight loss. Never ask the patient to force food or fluids down. Over-eating and over-drinking can cause discomforting symptoms like bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux that only complicate their terminal illness symptoms.
Offer Healthy Options
Greasy, salty, spicy foods should be avoided in end-of-life nutrition care. Patients in hospice care often tolerate cold foods better than hot foods. The best foods to offer will be comfort foods that are high in calories and protein. Easy-to-digest foods like soups and casseroles are great options. Here are some healthy ideas that are commonly offered to hospice patients:
Yogurt
Smoothies
Eggs
Baked beans
Oatmeal
Soft veggies and fruits
Jell-O
Pudding
Eggs
Fish
Chicken
Soups and stews
Ice cream
Benefits of Decreased Appetite and Reduced Fluids
When patients with a terminal illness eat and drink less, it is the body’s natural preparation for the end of life. Reduced nutritional care means less coughing, vomiting, edema, lung secretions, urinating, and other fluid build-ups. For the most part, the patient should be able to properly regulate how much they need to eat and drink.
Cravings
We generally think of pregnant women when someone mentions getting cravings, but cravings can be common to patients in hospice. It’s typically perfectly fine for patients to indulge in their cravings and for caregivers to fulfill these requests unless the patient has dietary restrictions in place. If you are questioning their request for health reasons, you can always ask a hospice nurse or the patient’s nutritionist for advice on the matter.
What’s Included With Hospice Care
While hospice care provides end-of-life nutrition advice and can help with meal preparations, the actual food and beverages are not included. For those with Medicare and MediCal, hospice care services are completely covered. Hospice care does provide a wide range of diagnostic services, laboratory work, medical supplies, and durable medical equipment as needed. Items like wipes, wound care supplies, oxygen and oxygen-delivering equipment, hospital beds, wheelchairs, bedside commodes, and other necessary supplies are provided at no out-of-pocket cost.
If you have specific questions about what hospice care can provide for your loved one, our experts will be happy to give you a free consultation. Hospice care provides invaluable helping hands that support both the patient and their family members. Contact us at A & H Hospice today to get started.