Some may favor sedating the patient while others want as little sedation as possible. Some family members may have tremendous difficulty accepting the fact that their loved one is actually dying, while others have accepted that reality a long time beforehand. Hospice medical social workers and spiritual counselors may work directly on these issues if family members are receptive to these types of services. Other hospice staff may also touch on these issues. All hospice staff work together to promote effective coping strategies on the part of the family members and beginning to work through some of the grieving that is inevitable.
Counselors can help family members deal with their many emotions and grief.
Hospice workers sometimes may personaly witness family members arguing directly in front of a patient who is actively dying, even when the patient can no longer respond or speak to the family. Hospice workers have ample evidence that support the conclusion that most patients are able to hear right up to the very end, even though the patient may no longer be able to speak to anyone. For these reasons, hospice professionals will often remind family members that the patient can still hear everything that they are saying while in the room. While it may be easier to handle these difficulties in a facility, most hospice care is provided in the home setting. Hospice workers will try to encourage family members to maintain as peaceful an atmosphere as is possible in the area around the patient.