When someone enters hospice care, pain management is often one of their top concerns. Many are anxious about their comfort level during the last six months of their lives. For decades, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare has helped patients successfully manage their pain, allowing them to reach their goals of spending more quality time doing the things they enjoy with the people they love.

Whether you or someone you love has heart disease or needs end stage pain management for pancreatic cancer, our interdisciplinary team has the compassionate experience and expertise to help.

Advanced Pain Management

We help patients, including those in end stage pancreatic cancer, with pain management by:

Administering Appropriate Medication

We evaluate what would be the most appropriate form of medication that can effectively control pain. We look at factors including the appropriate dosage and duration. We also carefully evaluate the medication’s effect on the patient as a part of our advanced pain management.

Evaluating Your Pain Level

We carefully evaluate pain levels based upon effective communication. If the patient is unable to communicate, we look for other signs such as body language and other factors to help determine pain level.

We realize that pain levels may change during your time in hospice, and we work together as a team to give us a clear idea of the type of pain you are experiencing. This helps us communicate in an effective and efficient manner to give you the pain relief you need, when you need it.

Staying Ahead of the Pain

We monitor patients for early indicators of increasing pain so we can quickly address it through advanced pain management, and as a result, keep you from becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Being proactive goes a long way toward effective pain relief.

Taking Your Pain Threshold Seriously

Not everyone experiences pain the same way. Some have a higher pain tolerance than others. We take your level of pain seriously. Do NOT try to “tough it out.” Let us know when you are experiencing pain, and we promise that you will be taken seriously. This is a key factor in successful advanced pain management.

We know that every patient is different, and what works for one may not be appropriate for others. That’s why Lower Cape Fear LifeCare works diligently with our interdisciplinary team to create a plan that is tailored for you and your needs.

Addressing Emotional Pain

Not all pain is physical. Often, emotional pain can take its toll on a patient’s well-being and happiness. In certain cases, emotional pain such as anxiety may also affect how you respond to physical pain.

Therefore, we have an entire team dedicated to helping you with the complicated emotions that often accompany hospice care.

Some measures that we take to help relieve emotional pain include:

• Offering chaplaincy services
• Providing a social worker
• Providing information on additional therapies such as massage or meditation

Our Interdisciplinary Team Is Here to Help

Lower Cape Fear LifeCare embraces a patient-centered approach to your care that includes advanced pain management. Our team includes:

• A hospice physician who specializes in both hospice and palliative care. This physician works closely with your attending physician to provide the care you need, tailored to your individual situation.
• A registered nurse who will make regular visits to monitor your symptoms and medication. These nurses also check your vital signs and address any problems or issues you may have.
• A nursing assistant who will help you with tasks such as bathing and other activities of everyday living.
• A social worker who will help you locate resources and support that you need, particularly any emotional help for you and your family.
• A chaplain who will help you with spiritual issues or concerns. It’s important to note that the chaplain’s purpose is not to persuade you to change your religion or belief system. Instead, they work with your clergy or faith community. A chaplain can also provide counseling, pastoral ministry, prayer rituals and funeral planning.
• A volunteer that has undergone extensive training and screening. These volunteers provide much more than companionship—they offer emotional support and a connection with the community. Volunteers frequently help with respite care for the family, light housework and may even lend a hand for errands or other tasks.

Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Has Offered Compassionate Service to the Community for Decades

All hospices are not the same. Lower Cape Fear LifeCare has been a leader in providing the best support for advanced pain management for patients facing serious illnesses.

We are the area’s longest operating nonprofit hospice—which means that we serve every patient regardless of their ability to pay. We help more than 6,000 families every year, providing the dignity, care, advanced pain management, compassion and respect they deserve. We’re proud to help those throughout Southeastern North Carolina, Columbus County, Northeastern South Carolina and Horry County.

Did you know that anyone can make a referral to hospice?  You can even refer to yourself. For more information, just call us at 800-733-1476.