In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the subject of caring for individuals at the ends of their lives.
The final stages of terminal illness are a very difficult time for both the patient and their loved ones, but hospice care aims to ease the stress and discomfort as much as possible. At the heart of hospice care is the belief that each person has the right to die pain-free and with dignity. In many cases, care is provided in the patient’s home with a loved one serving as the primary caregiver.
Many hospice patients have trouble taking medications in traditional dosage forms. The skill and caring of our compounding pharmacist can complement a physician’s abilities. Patients with chronic illnesses or who are nearing end of life frequently require symptom control and pain relief.
While every individual is unique, common symptoms and problems include:
- Pain Management
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Severe Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Decubitis Ulcers
- Shortness of Breath
- Anxiety
Personalized, compounded medications may be the best way to deal with these symptoms. By working closely with our compounding pharmacist, a healthcare provider can prescribe a regimen of care which is tailored to the hospice patient’s individual needs.
Ordinarily, the first symptom requiring relief is pain, and managing it often requires medication around the clock. Our compounding pharmacists can provide specialized medications for patients who suffer from acute and chronic pain. To keep the administration of medicine to a minimum, unique drug combinations can be prepared to allow patients to live more comfortably within their pain threshold while potentially minimizing sedation or other adverse side effects.
Due to differences in patients’ body size, drug tolerance, or various organ failures, commercially available medications often do not provide the exact strength a patient requires. Through compounding, a prescriber and pharmacist can adjust medications to the exact dosage needed by the patient.