Hospice care

BPS · November 29

I haven't posted anything for a while, but if anyone is considering hospice care I suggest you pursue it. My wife is in memory care and has had several issues. I think the hands-on care givers are doing a good job, but the facility nurse is out a lot and very hands off. She directs the staff based on reports rather than personal involvement and the doctor that comes to the facility seen my wife once a month but it was very superficial so there was several people involved each doing a little but none of them knew the whole person. She was steadily losing weight with very little appetite so I contacted hospice. They did an overall evaluation and took her off some medications and changed some others and my wife is doing better. her weight loss has slowed and she feels better, and now there is one person I can talk to about her health and get solid answers. They have provided an adjustable bed and other equipment at no cost to make her more comfortable and easier for the hands-on staff (again I say the hand-on staff is great but limited on what they can do without orders). Hospice is generally for the last 6 months of life, but for dementia it is treated different since it is terminal with no curative treatments. You have nothing to lose by checking in to it.

Palmetto Peg · November 29

I totally agree. My DH was approved for hospice several weeks ago. A notable difference has been that the nursing staff can give him Ativan for his extreme agitation without having to wait hours for the facility doctor to write an order for it. Especially during this holiday time, when family is visiting and he is very overstimulated, it has been a blessing. He can also get pain medication for his legs, which are becoming very contracted due to his Lewy Body Dementia. The extra hands of the hospice aide and the frequent visits from the hospice nurse are making a real difference in his care. Don't wait to ask for an evaluation - the worst that can happen is they will not approve your LO, and then you can either try a different hospice organization, or wait until until something changes. I am very pleased.

Jgirl57 · November 29

Great post BPS; having hospice coordinate care must give you peace of mind. Thank you for sharing

Big Papa2760 · November 30

Hi: It's been a while. Tonight, my daughter and I decided to place my wife in a skilled nursing home. We have sent a letter to our doctor asking her to be placed in Palliative care, which is very similar to hospice care Tonight my wife asked me and my daughter if she could be given the end-of-life pill. She has been in extreme pain for weeks and the doctors aren't sure exactly what wrong. They want to do a Coloscopy and a scope down her throat to better understands the MRI, CAT scan finding. They can't do it because her blood pressure is staying at 220 or higher. They know there a nodules on her lungs and a growth in her stomach. Now we just have to find a skilled nursing home that can take her.