Reflective Questions 1. What are some of the stresses on Sandra’s middle-aged sisters and their families? 2. What resources are available to manage these stresses and support the sisters while caring for their dying sister Sandra? 3. Describe Sandra’s feelings about dependency and loss of autonomy because she is unable to do her own activities of daily living any longer

Caring for the loved one is illuminating as it is a core value, with everyone wishing to provide. Sometimes it can be intimidating and twisting even to the most flexible people. Sandra’s middle-aged sisters may experience both physical and emotional stress as a result of the overwhelming responsibilities.  To start with, the sisters are immensely fatigued because of the long hours of taking care of their sister with shiftless emotions and roles. The outcomes for prolonged and engaging roles are social isolation and lack of choice in being a caregiver (Morelli et al., 2019). Sandra’s sisters are also struggling to balance their caregiving roles and jobs, as the caregiving role is demanding, hence the sisters are likely to minimize their working hours which may affect their salaries hence encountering financial difficulties. Although the sisters may lack knowledge on how the caregiving responsibility affects them, too much strain and stress anguish an individual’s health as an individual is likely to encounter anxiety and depression. Sandra’s sister may also encounter anticipatory sorrow due to the fact that their sister’s illness is terminal, and they have to prepare for the ultimate loss of their sister. Caring for an ultimately ill loved one can be a complicated and emotionally taxing occurrence. Caregivers need to get support and resources to overcome such challenges.

Available Resources to Manage Sandra’s Sisters’ Stresses and Support the Sisters while Caring for their Dying Sister Sandra.

The stress of caring for a dying loved one can be shattering, so the caregiving family requires support to manage it. One of the essential help that Sandra’s sisters require is palliative care necessary for providing quality care and comfort for the patient (Hallenbeck, 2022). Sandra’s sisters may not have technical experience in managing symptoms like pain, shortness of breath, and the side effects of medication, where a qualified clinician or physician can be needed to help the family. Another vital resource being overlooked is the visitations of friends and family members. Members of the family and friends can have a significant role as they provide spiritual and emotional support to the relatives of the dying patient. Physical presence and listening, holding hands, and talking with family members are soothing and can relieve stress. The effort of visiting and sitting quietly and sharing memories with family members can also be reassuring (Haugdahl et al., 2018). In addition, agencies like visiting nurse associations can help as they can assist the family by offering qualified practitioners. Even though palliative care is usually offered in clinics and hospitals, arrangements can be made for Sandra to receive it from home. Sandra’s sisters having professional support and connection with family and friends could be essential resources for them to manage the stresses of caregiving. Such resources can help Sandra’s sisters manage the stresses of caring for their dying sister, providing comfort and support in difficult times.

Sandra’s Feelings about Dependency and Loss of Autonomy as she is Unable to do her Activities of Daily Living any Longer

After discovering numerous complications that were related to the course of their illness, which included metastasis to the lungs, all of a sudden, Sandra lost her autonomy. As she could no longer work, Sandra depended entirely on her sisters for everything. This made Sandra feel a loss of independence as she was limited to the house. Sandra also feels burdensome to her sister, compelling her to seek assistance from the visiting nurse association. Even after the visiting nurse association nurse examined Sandra’s condition and recommended some interventions, she was still affected by a sense of hopelessness, powerlessness, and helplessness. The imagination that she has suddenly turned from an independent person to a wholly dependent person makes her feel disturbed, which can easily lead her to depression. The imagination of her dignity and the sudden loss of autonomy made Sandra feel she was an annoyance and disruption to her sisters.

Conclusion

Sandra’s case study indicates the necessity of health promotion and disease prevention, specifically for middle-aged women at high risk of developing ovarian cancer. Sandra’s cancer eventually developed, requiring hospice care at home, despite undergoing treatment and chemotherapy. This circumstance caused stress and strain on her family members whore provided ceaseless care. Resources such as Visiting nurse associations can be essential to minimize some of the burdens on caregivers prioritizing patient needs. Sandra’s feelings of dependency and loss of autono

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