Some Tucson families are relating to the death of former First Lady Barbara Bush. The reason is because Bush made the decision to enter palliative care and die at her home.
Now, Peter Taussig, a patient in Tucson who gets the same kind of care is sharing why you might want to consider it. He has been a palliative care patient for more than a year. "I needed help for daily living, for all the things I do From when I wake up to when I go to bed," he explained in his living room. Tausig, 88, suffers from heart failure, kidney malfunctions and neuropathy which makes it hard for him to walk.
That is why he decided to get personalized care. Without it, he says, his life would be very different, "I don't see any situation when I wouldn't need the help," he said.
Many local families rely on "palliative care" or "comfort care givers" every day. They go into homes and focus on a person's physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. Visiting Angels, a large in-home care company in Tucson is one of the many companies that provides personalized care. Currently they assist more than 100 patients in the Tucson area. Owner and director Dr. Lydia Tully-Roos says there are many local families who are struggling with ill loved ones might not know palliative care exists. She says Visiting Angels could help those people, "it's a peace of mind for family members to know we are there," she said.
More information on Visiting Angels here.
