Essential Team Members During End of Life Care: An OT’s Role in Hospice

Having a family member decide to go on hospice care can elicit many emotions – I know because I have been there. When people think of hospice, they often think of comfort, dying with dignity, and support in end of life care. There are many team members that play a vital role in helping those individuals smoothly transition from this life onward, including nurses, chaplains, and physicians. It was not until my own family member’s experience with hospice that I was reminded how occupational therapists play a quiet yet vital role in this deeply personal level of care. 

OTs Help Support Quality of Life – Not Just Function

When working with patients on hospice, my rule of thumb is that if it matters to you, it matters to me. An occupational therapist’s goal for a person in hospice is to help honor the patient’s goal. That goal may be for them to figure out a way to go onto their dock for one last time or for them to be able to wipe their bottom after toileting independently for as long as possible. Whatever their goal is, occupational therapists help adapt the task and environment to support the person’s autonomy and dignity. 

Key Roles of OT in Hospice:

1. Comfort and positioning 

Many people in hospice may feel more pain as illness increases. OTs help identify and implement positioning strategies to reduce this pain and prevent pressure injuries. OTs can recommend equipment, such as wedges, specialty recliners, beds, or cushions) that aid in making resting, sleeping, or sitting more comfortable. 

2. Adaptation of Daily Activities 

While day to day routines may be changing and becoming more difficult, OTs help simplify these routines. This helps allow individuals to perform their daily activities, such as getting dressed, bathing, brushing their teeth, or getting out of bed and into a chair, as safely and independently as they can for as long as possible. 

3. Environmental Modifications 

OTs assess the home environment and make recommendations to reduce fall risk, improve access, and make caregiving easier. This may include rearranging furniture, adding grab bars, or suggesting the right assistive equipment for the stage of illness.

4. Support for Caregivers 

Caregivers are commonly carrying an extensive emotional and physical load during this time. OTs help support them by providing guidance on safe transfers, proper body mechanics, options for safe bathing and dressing routines, and caregiving strategies to prevent injury. We are there with you during this time through the various stages that illness can bring. 

5. Facilitating Engagement in Meaningful Activities 

Near the end of life more than ever, the small joys of life matter. Things like eating your favorite meal, holding a pet, getting out of bed, and sitting outside help individuals stay connected to who they are. OTs help facilitate activities that bring them comfort and meaning. 

A Holistic Approach to the End of Life

Occupational therapists look at the person as a whole. An OT’s role in hospice care is rooted in personalization of treatment to embody that individual’s goals during their final stage of life. Every person deserves to live with dignity, no matter what stage of life they are in. Occupational therapists are trained experts in helping facilitate that dignity. 

At Thrive Home Therapy & Design, we believe that dignity and quality of life are worth protecting at every stage. If you have questions about how occupational therapy can support you or a loved one during hospice care, we’re here to help. Call us today at 321-704-3913 or send us an email at thrivehometherapy@gmail.com to see how we can support you or your loved one.