Life Cycle Care
The human life cycle can be considered in terms of developmental stages each having specific characteristics, needs, and challenges. One way of viewing the human journey is through milestones associated with physical, psychological, and social development. These stages include infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, and old age. It is important to understand that earlier ones condition later life stages and the first couple have the most impact on later life perception and perspective. Also, though seemingly paradoxical, it is helpful to realize that engaging in wellness practices leading to well-being does influence all stages, from the earliest to most recent.
Dealing with health related issues and/or being prepared for a health crisis is part of Life Cycle Care. Focus areas of service include mental health, the psychology of well-being, behavior and attitude, beliefs, assumptions, expectations, and related needs common to a particular developmental phase. Additionally, factors associated with socio-economic, religion, gender identity, and cultural influences are incorporated into programs of service support.
Each stage presents unique issues, and specific requirements in terms of health care for establishing the ability to thrive, modes of engaging the care of others, and self-care. We apply a metrics related to well-being and QoL, taking into consideration the characteristics of each stage of life, and our interventions and goals are designed around individual preferences as well as the general aspects of each stage.
For instance, many never consider discussing or even reflecting on choices related to treatment for serious illness or preparedness for death & dying until further along in the usual course of the human life span. Many hold the opinion that death and dying aspects need only be considered when one is old, and there is no need to think about what might be involved in a decision making process that can help one prepare and be ready for the experience. In reality, even the young and healthy should reflect on what healthcare services they prefer in case they cannot voice their choices.
Everyone over the age of 18 should have conversations with their loved ones about their health care wishes, designate someone to be their health care advocate in case they are unable to articulate their needs, and then document those wishes. If these desires aren’t written down, it is as though conversations never occurred and choices were never made. Services provided on this website are designed to help patients, caregivers, and loved ones have ‘the talk’. Chronic or potentially life limiting illness creates stress and affects all areas of well-being.
Advance Care Planning & End-of-Life Decision Making
Phrases used to describe a specific focus of life cycle care related to illness as well as death and dying include Advance Care Planning (ACP) and End-of-Life Decision Making. These aspects of life care often involve estate planning and last will and rights in addition to preparing for possible health related circumstances when we cannot speak for ourselves regarding available treatment options. A durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPAHC) is someone else to consider when engaging end-of-life-care planning.
Advance care planning is appropriate along the entire continuum of the human life cycle and does only affect the elderly. An accident or disease diagnosis can happen at any point in life. As mentioned above, anyone over 18 years old should have a health care plan documented as a precaution to guard against sudden illness or injury. Parents of children under 18 years of age should engage advance care planning on behalf of their children.
ACP guidance is offered from a mind-body-being perspective or through a holistic lens. Additionally, the presenting patient, caregiving, and/or relationship issues are assessed within a situational context among those in the patient/caregiver unit and family members in particular. The primary goal of services is to be supportive. No attempt is made to try and ‘analyze’ underlying behavior or past influences on present struggles or relationship dynamics unless the client requests.
End-of-life informative material, psycho-social support, and guidance are available to facilitate defining clear goals and helping clients to effectively engage in a timely and appropriate conversation with family members and loved ones. Material is gathered and organized to provide users with important information that will serve as a basis for making the most informed choices and participating in meaningful dialogue on this difficult and sacred topic. All support and psycho-education is designed towards improving well-being for not only the patient but also any caregivers and loved ones around them.
Chronic and/or Life Limiting Patient Centered Support
Another aspect of life cycle care are the issues and obstacles a person faces while being ‘a patient’. The notions of well-being and wellness practices are an integral part of this facet of life cycle care. The psycho-social challenges in living with a life limiting disease or chronic illness are numerous. Common characteristics include experiencing stigmatization and consequently feeling abandoned, lonely, and ashamed.
Chronic illness and life altering disease are often accompanied by major psychological side effects. Feelings of being stressed out, anxious, lonely, not listened to or misunderstood, and invalidated are extremely disempowering. Additionally, having to come to terms with vanquished hopes and expectations can and often does create mood fluctuations that affect our relationship to self and others.
Caregiving & Self-Care
A third focus of life cycle care addressed here relates to the dynamics of being a caregiver for a loved one who is a patient, particularly a long-term one. Having the opportunity to care for a loved one is among the most fulfilling experiences in life, yet it can be among the hardest. Providing comfort and being aware of a loved one’s needs is a precious opportunity to give the gift of self and in so doing, to receive the gift of meaning. Caregiving can drain us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Unending tasks, questions, and concerns arise day in and day out as we struggle with how to hold responsibilities without feeling inadequate. For a long-term caregiver, the psychological impact is immense. Managing caregiving for a loved one while trying to attend to personal affairs can create many difficulties, especially regarding feelings of guilt.
Some common challenges caregivers face include:
- Displaced empathy
- Boundary setting and maintenance
- Being present and authentic
- Supporting without enabling or colluding
- Communicating effectively
- Witnessing and companioning without trying to rescue
- Roles and responsibilities
- Trust and control
- Setting priorities
- Self-concept (our self-identity)
- Self-care
- Guilt and shame
- Accepting unwanted change
Caregiving for a loved one does not always have to be burdensome. It is possible to experience it as a privilege and opportunity to know ourselves in ways we otherwise never could. Connecting with other caregivers in the community or through a support group can help us gain insight and perspective through sharing stories and hearing how others manage and cope.