Question

 

Teresa, a palliative care worker, is visiting Huong, a Vietnamese lady, who has been sent home to die with dignity, surrounded by her family. Her son Tran is her primary carer. He sits by her bedside every day. He organizes bowls of fruit and food for visitors and lights incense and candles at the family shrine.

Tran is very emotional and finds it difficult to speak to Teresa. She notices that every now and again his head drops and he closes his eyes. It seems that Tran is quite exhausted. Tran eventually admits that he hasn’t slept for two or three days. Teresa gently explains to Tran that he needs rest, as only then can he give his mother the care and love she needs. Together they arrange for Tran to have an in-home respite worker to look after Huong so Tran can recuperate. She also encourages Tran to speak to his sister who visits to see if she can take over Tran’s task of providing personal care for their mother for a day or so.

Question

1. What action could you take to support Tran and give Tran a rest?

2. What signs is Tran displaying that indicates he is feeling stressed?

3. What services and resources are available in your location that could help and support Tran?

Answer 1

1. Here trans is the care giver of his mother , and he is verymuch exhausted by looking the needs of his mother 24 hr per day continiously , without any help from others . it will be diffficult. he cant take rest or sleep, because his mother may be awake at night and ask some help for going bathroom, for getting drinking water..... so he has to sacrifice his sleep and rest for his mother . but without the help of any one else , it is not possible for him to look his mother for long time.

the palliative care workers can help him in this situation, they can provide one person for his mothers care during day hours , and this time trans can get some sleep and rest,

they can help by bringing household substance from market and if needed help for preparing food . or can provide food everyday from outside help.

some other relatives can also be arranged for his help , atleast for some days , it will be great help for trans.

Teresa can also go regular visits and ask any help needed by trans or his mother

she can help trans by helping his mother to take bath , medications

advise him to take some rest during his mother start to sleep

can provide helps of electonic devises if needed, like wheel chair ,air bed..

2. Trans is stressed , we can find out from his words , and his body movments like he is feeling difficult to speak and his eyes are closing in between speaking with teresa.

3. In our locality, these types of peoples are supported by governmental and private initiatives.

ASHA worker is an example for help from government side , they used to visit these types of peoples and provide health educations , patient care , essential medicine supply , and arrange some help from doctors from primary health centre if needed.

private initiatives containing groups of doctors or other volunteers are also come regularly for checking patients need and help them mentaly and financially .

arrange vehicles for monthly check up of these patients .

governments provides various pension schems to support these kind of peoples.