计划晚期心力衰竭

一对夫妇在田野里散步

为内心的平静而计划

An important part of shared decision-making in advanced heart failure is to clarify what you would want done when future events occur, 包括意想不到的. 你需要喂食管或呼吸管吗? 心肺复苏? The process of anticipating future scenarios and communicating your preferences is called 推进护理 规划. It allows you to speak for yourself, even when you can't. It also helps your family make decisions according to your priorities.

预先护理计划包括:

  • Learning what health decisions you might have to make in the future.
  • 思考你的目标和偏好.
  • Discussing what is important to you with your family and health care professional.
  • Documenting your plan in an advance directive, which can be updated if your wishes change.

姑息治疗

The goal of palliative care is to help patients live better by relieving stress and symptoms to improve quality of life. 接受姑息治疗, 这和临终关怀不一样, doesn't mean you have to stop heart failure treatment. 姑息治疗 can be provided when you need it, no matter the stage of your illness.

姑息治疗可以提供:

  • 缓解疼痛和 心力衰竭的症状.
  • Emotional and spiritual support for you and your family.
  • 帮助做出复杂的治疗决定.
  • Assistance with practical issues, such as advance directives or insurance.
  • 支援服务: 护理人员,例如临时护理和悲伤咨询.

Members of the palliative care team will likely include a doctor, 护士, 社会工作者, 牧师, 物理治疗师, 职业治疗师, 营养师和心理学家. These professionals can become a part of your health care team, just like your cardiologist and other health care professionals.

关怀在生命的尽头

Talking about and actively preparing for the end of life can be upsetting. 即使你无法控制自己的死亡线上电子游戏飞禽走兽, you can make plans to control many aspects of the dying process.

In advanced heart failure, care options at the end of life include:

  • 关掉电源 植入式心律转复除颤器(PDF): Electrical shocks from an ICD can cause unnecessary pain and discomfort for patients and families near the end of life. The shock function of an ICD can be deactivated, or you might choose not to receive a new battery when the current one expires.
    观看ICD的动画.
  • 关掉心脏机械泵: A decision must be made about when to turn off a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) at the end of life. A thoughtful discussion and careful plan about when you would want to discontinue LVAD support should be part of the decision-making process before the device is implanted. 
  • 临终关怀: 在某一时刻, it may be time to make a decision to stop treatment if you’re not responding to treatment or your condition is worsening. 临终关怀 provides comfort and support to advanced heart failure patients who are no longer receiving treatment and to their families. Hospice helps people with heart failure nearing the end of their life live comfortably.

    临终关怀 services are often provided in the home by a team that includes a doctor, 护士, 治疗师, 社会工作者, 精神导师, 训练有素的志愿者和其他专业人员. They work with you and your family to develop a personalized care plan that supports your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being based on your individual goals and needs.

    临终关怀服务通常包括:
    • Medical care to manage symptoms (the hospice 护士 and doctor are on call 24 hours a day to provide care).
    • 情感和精神咨询.
    • Physical and occupational therapy to help a person develop new ways to perform daily tasks, 比如穿衣打扮, taking a shower and moving safely around the house.
    • Art therapy, music therapy and other complementary therapies.
    • Respite care to provide a break for 护理人员 and families.
    • 首页 health aides to help with bathing, grooming, eating and other personal health needs.
    • Help with insurance, legal documents and other practical issues.
    • Trained volunteers who provide a variety of support services, 比如照顾小孩, 跑腿和做饭.
    • Bereavement support and counseling for 护理人员 and families.

Making plans for how you want to spend your remaining life can be tough. But difficult discussions now can simplify difficult decisions later.

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