When you’re caring for a terminally ill loved one at home, it can be challenging to manage new or unexpected symptoms like pain, anxiety or breathing difficulties that may develop quickly and interfere with their comfort. A hospice comfort kit provides medications that can help you respond to these end-of-life needs quickly, so you can keep your loved one as comfortable as possible while avoiding delays in symptom relief.  

In this article, we’ll explain what a hospice comfort kit is, common medications it may include and how it supports comfort-focused care at home. 

If you’re caring for a loved one with a life-limiting illness at home, we encourage you to reach out to us. We’ve been helping patients and their families from the Triangle area to the North Carolina coast with skilled, compassionate care in the place they call home for more than 40 years. We invite you to contact us to learn more and get care. 

What is a Hospice Comfort Kit?

A hospice comfort kit, also called an emergency kit, is a collection of medications provided by the hospice team. The kit is designed to help you and your family manage common end-of-life symptoms at home so your loved one can remain comfortable and avoid unnecessary emergency room visits. 

A comfort kit can also help alleviate caregiver burnout and provide peace of mind by reducing the anxiety, stress and exhaustion that often comes with managing distressing symptoms. 

The hospice comfort kit is usually delivered to where you’re caring for your loved one shortly after hospice services begin so medications are available when needed. 

What Are Some Common Medications Included in a Hospice Comfort Kit?

A hospice comfort kit contains medications that address symptoms routinely experienced during the final stages of life and may include:

• • Morphine or oxycodone for pain and shortness of breath
  • Lorazepam (Ativan) to help relieve anxiety, panic or emotional distress 
  • Haloperidol or risperidone to help manage confusion, agitation or delirium  
  • Acetaminophen suppositories (when swallowing becomes difficult) to help reduce fever and discomfort

• Hyoscyamine or atropine drops to help minimize throat secretions that cause noisy breathing 

Medications in a hospice comfort kit may vary depending on your loved one’s specific diagnosis, their symptoms and hospice policy.

You don’t have to worry about doing this on your own, however. Your hospice team will provide instructions on how and when medications should be administered, answer your questions when symptoms arise and otherwise provide any guidance you need. 

What Symptoms Do Comfort Kits Help Manage?

Hospice comfort kits help manage several common end-of-life symptoms. As we touched on briefly in the section above, these symptoms may include:

• Pain. This is one of the most common symptoms; medications help reduce pain and improve comfort and quality of life.
• Shortness of breath. Some illnesses make breathing feel difficult; medication can ease breathlessness and promote relaxation. 
• Anxiety and restlessness. Fear, uncertainty, physical discomfort and progression of your loved one’s illness can create anxiety. Anti-anxiety medications, together with reassurance from caregivers, can provide relief.
• Delirium and agitation. Your loved one may experience confusion, hallucinations or changes in behavior. The hospice team can determine the cause of these symptoms and recommend the proper treatment. 
• Noisy breathing. Medications can help reduce throat secretions that cause noisy breathing, sometimes referred to as the “death rattle.” 
• Fever and general discomfort. Symptoms such as fever, body aches and other forms of discomfort may develop during the final stages of illness; fever-reducing medications can help alleviate these symptoms and improve overall comfort.

When Should Caregivers Use Medications in a Comfort Kit?

You don’t have to make this decision on your own – your 3HC hospice team will provide personalized guidance based on your loved one’s condition, symptoms and goals of care.

As a rule, you should only use medications in a hospice comfort kit when your loved one is experiencing new, urgent or worsening symptoms, guided by feedback from your hospice team. 

Here are some additional guidelines that may help: 

• Contact your hospice team for guidance when your loved one’s symptoms worsen or new symptoms appear.
• Use each medication for the designated purpose for which it was prescribed following the dosing instructions provided by your hospice team. 
• Align medications and treatment with your loved one’s wishes and goals of care. This will depend on whether the objective is to ensure the highest level of comfort and symptom relief or preserve alertness for as long as possible. 
• Address symptoms early rather than waiting until they become severe. Prevention can be more effective than managing discomfort later.

3HC: Expert, Compassionate Care for Patients and Their Loved Ones

Proactive symptom management, patient comfort and personalized care are essential elements of effective end-of-life care. But when you’re caring for a loved one with a life-limiting illness at home, these responsibilities can sometimes feel overwhelming.

The good news is you don’t have to do it alone. 3HC provides expert guidance and support in the place your loved one calls home, while treating you and your family as if you were members of our own family.

We’ve been helping patients and their families from the Triangle area to the North Carolina coast with skilled, compassionate care for more than 40 years. We invite you to contact us to learn more and get care.