What are your options for end of life needs, have you ever asked yourself that question? Knowing your options and what type of services exist can make all the difference. It is the fear that, often impedes us from preparing and taking necessary steps. Embracing the fact that we all die, can help us to make better decisions for ourselves and family members.
We at Picket Fence Home Care recently spoke to Deb Torres of the Institute of for the Cycle of Life to discuss this important issue. The Institute for the Cycle of Life, is an organization dedicated to providing education about choices, and to answer end of life questions, so that individuals can make informed decisions about the present and their future.
Deb Torres a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) of 30 years and has worked in a variety of clinical settings including child and adolescent mental health, inpatient psychiatric unit at the VA, Adult Protective Services, hospital medical social work and a social worker in the field of hospice. Deb is a Facilitator, Educator and Birth Doula and owner of the Institute for Cycle of Life.
According to Deb: ‘In my experience working with families there are a lot of questions about the end of life, fears about talking about disease processes and end of life wishes of loved ones.’ Deb acts like a navigator throughout this difficult time. A navigator guides a patient and/or family through each step and interfaces with the multi-disciplinary team in a hospital setting, home, or hospice care center. She holds a hands-on role during a medical crisis or end of life situation.
In most difficult times, the family will rely on resources from within to deal with this crisis, however family members have different levels of knowledge or experience with these issues. End of life issues are often uncomfortable with physical changes of the body, the challenge of saying good-bye, and the choices to be made regarding a child’s presence in the room at the end of life. As navigator, Deb comes along side to help each family member weight out the choices to be made and what would be most meaningful for them.
Having a private advocate whose primary goal is to walk your family through a most difficult time can be the difference between feeling confused and unsure versus being able to more calmly come to terms with the life cycle. A navigator will walk through the details allowing family to focus on other, more emotional needs.
As a home care agency our job at Picket Fence Home Care – Chicago is to assist with activities of daily living when times get tough. Having a navigator who is there to help with the most difficult time in any family’s life, the death of a loved can be invaluable. Someone who is experienced and can maintain a cool head, who knows what to expect and can explain it to you.
