Introduction
While
providing comfort and dignity to the person with Alzheimer's disease is the priority throughout the disease, it will
be especially important during the late stage and end-of-life
care.
Decisions
will need to be made throughout the late stage of Alzheimer's disease. These decisions may be difficult and you may
feel uncomfortable making them, especially those dealing
with life-prolonging treatments and what the individual
might consider a comfortable death.
Respecting
the expressed wishes of the person with Alzheimer's disease
should guide all end-of-life care decisions. A guiding
principle should be to uphold the dignity, privacy and
safety of the person with Alzheimer's disease.
When
making decisions on behalf of another person, it is important
to follow the person's wishes, if they are known. If
they have not been communicated, knowing the person's
values and beliefs can assist in making a decision that
most closely resembles the one the person would have
made had she been capable of doing so.
Some
individuals may have an Advance Directive or "living
will" that will assist family members in carrying
out the individual's wishes. If plans have not been made,
or if there are disagreements among family members, you
may want to consider asking a third party -- such as
a member of the health-care team, clergy or counsellor
-- to assist you.
You
will continue to make decisions regarding care strategies
throughout the disease process. These decisions should
take into consideration the progression of the disease,
the individual's overall health, and risks and benefits
of care strategies.
Decisions
that you might face include treating a broken hip after
a fall or choosing whether or not to begin tube feeding.
Continued communication with the doctor and other members
of the health-care team will be important during this
time.
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