Chesapeake Manor: End-of-Life Care

Chesapeake Manor is a beautiful family-owned and operated senior living community located near the scenic Maryland-Delaware border in Willards, MD. Our compassionate, qualified team oversees our long-term senior living program. Research shows that older adults who age in place enjoy the best quality of life as uprooting to move to a new community every time your needs change is unduly stressful.

That’s why we endeavor to provide a true home away from home for residents in each of our magnificent private living spaces and within our elegant and vibrant facility. The relaxed, joyful environment is perfect for making friends and enjoying your retirement years to the fullest.

While it’s not the easiest thing to think about, planning ahead and having these important conversations often leads to a better end-of-life experience. Anyone who has a potentially life-limiting condition can benefit from putting a plan in place — and for those with memory issues, the earlier, the better. However, not everyone wants to think about this sort of thing or has the capacity to do so. In which case, it’s essential for families to understand their loved one’s values to make accurate, supportive decisions on their behalf.

First, let’s outline the differences between hospice care and palliative care, both of which fall under the umbrella of end-of-life care.

Hospice Care

Hospice care is offered to individuals in the final stages of an incurable illness. It aims to make the individual as comfortable and peaceful as possible while maintaining their dignity. Having this type of care leaves family members free to spend time with their loved one instead of acting as caregivers, further boosting quality of life.

It’s vital to note that hospice care doesn’t limit a person’s life span. In many cases, it can help extend life because of a reduction in stress levels.

Palliative Care

Palliative care differs from hospice care because it can be offered at any stage of a serious illness. Comfort, peace and well-being are emphasized, and this type of service is regularly offered alongside other forms of medical care. It’s a highly personalized approach that aims to put the goals and desires of our residents first while supporting family members and ensuring they’re included and understand treatment plans.

It’s a mind-body-spirit approach whereby physical, spiritual and psychosocial well-being are attended to in view of improving quality of life and reducing undesirable symptoms.

Symptom relief includes:

• Shortness of breath
• Pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Depression
• Sleep disturbances

Common conditions palliative care can help with:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Cancer
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Dementia
• Heart disease
• Late-stage kidney disease
• Severe arthritis
• Lung disease

How Should End-of-Life Care Support Your Loved One?

The aim of end-of-life care is to support people with life-limiting illnesses, ensuring they get maximal care and attention. Residents play a pivotal role in deciding how they’re cared for, giving priority to what matters most to them. Being in a familiar setting surrounded by friends and family is a key element of palliative care.

End-of-life care can last for weeks, months or even years. It can include:

• Pain management and relief
• Emotional support to relieve distress and stress
• Ensuring the people they love are close by
• Maintaining an environment that meets their needs
• Making sure spiritual, cultural and religious needs are catered to
• Keeping them comfortable and clean
• Treating them with dignity and compassion

At Chesapeake Manor, we go above and beyond to make sure you or your loved one gets the attention, care and respect they deserve — no matter which stage their illness is at. There are a number of benefits you or your loved one can reap from choosing our community.

Aging in Place

Consistency and a sense of familiarity are essential in later life. Many older adults are reluctant to leave their homes due to the comfort provided by being in a place they know and love. However, our assisted living community is a home away from home and supports you throughout your retirement years. If your needs change, you won’t need to uproot and move to a different facility. What’s more, you never have to worry about chores, home maintenance, feeling lonely or cooking for yourself. We take care of all that.

Physical, Mental and Emotional Support

When someone has a life-limiting condition, there’s a lot more to consider than the physical implications. Social, emotional, psychological and wellness supports are put in place to maximize quality of life. We also recognize that an individual is always part of a collective, and that family members need support and care, too. We take the time to get to know your loved ones and treat them as our own.

Shared Decision-Making

Wherever possible, we aim to put the resident in charge of decisions that impact their end-of-life care. With palliative care, experts recommend putting a plan in place at the earliest possible instance to get the most out of the process. For example, if your loved one has recently been diagnosed with memory loss, it’s a good idea to find out how they want their end-of-life journey to look.

Reduce Suffering and Disruptions to Daily Life

According to the World Health Organization, early delivery of palliative care reduces the use of health services and unnecessary hospital admissions. Not only does it reduce suffering, it also impacts the person’s ability to cope with their disease and makes them more likely to feel comfortable discussing end-of-life preferences with their loved ones and health care professionals.