At Luxe Hospice we often get quizzical looks from family members of individuals in our care when we discuss nutrition. They want to know why we are talking about life-sustaining measures when their husband, wife, child, aunt, uncle or friend are in the final stages of dying.

What Role Does Nutrition Play in Hospice?

Before I address that, I want to discuss the premise of hospice, because it leads to why nutrition is a factor in a patients’ care. We work with individuals and their families who have a life-limiting illness, who have stopped all treatment methods, and who want to spend the time they have left in a dignified and thoughtful manner surrounded by family and friends. We do this by attending to their physical, emotional, spiritual and practical needs with an emphasis on control of pain and other symptoms.

The role of our team of medical professionals is multi-faceted and includes bringing comfort to the dying individual. We take great care to provide dietary options and to help the patient and their family members better understand the advantages and disadvantages of certain nutritional decisions at the end of life.

Making Dietary Adjustments

When a person is going through the last few months of their life, it is not unusual for them to begin to reject food and water, or to need a modification in the number meals they receive daily, the way in which their food is prepared, or the types of foods they are served. This can be for many reasons, including bowel obstructions, effects of chemotherapy, nausea, fatigue, dental issues, etc. The dietician on our Hospice team coordinates with patients and their families to make these adjustments.

The advantage of having a supportive hospice team helping you coordinate your nutritional intake or lack thereof is that they provide the sustenance in the manner you wish to receive it, can offer medications to relieve any discomfort, and can relay solid medical advice on the best way to proceed.

Luxe Hospice care is your resource for any information related to hospice care. Call us and let us tell you about our services and if you or your loved one qualifies for hospice. It is our pleasure to serve you.

Read more about Luxe Hospice Services.

We provide hospice services throughout the greater Los Angeles and Orange County areas and can be reached at (310) 459-2040, info@Luxehc.com.