When to prepare

tung714 · June 1

Hello I am new to this group. Glad to have found it. My father has dementia and is slowly refuses to chew and swallow. He is mostly on bed and cannot move at all.
I am hoping for any type of supports and advises and when I should be prepared for the next steps in his life.

April23 · June 1

Is he on hospice? They should be able to provide guidance for you.

tung714 · June 1

Thank you for your reply. No he is not. My mother prefers to keep taking care of him while we help as much. We do have health staff come to check on here weekly. Is this a good time to finally thinking of admitting him into Hospice?

April23 · June 1

Yes, being bed bound and being unable to swallow means hospice is appropriate. He is at high risk of choking, aspiration, etc. It’s very admirable that you want to care for your father, but IMO, it’s time for help. I’m shocked it hasn’t been suggested already honestly. Hospice is a great resource and you’ll have an entire team of medical professionals at your disposal.

Emily 123 · June 1

Hello tung714,

Wasn't sure if you knew, but when person is at home (vs. being in the hospital) the family will be the ones to contact hospice companies in the area to come out and assess if the person is ready for hospice. If one hospice turns your dad down you can contact another, but it sounds like he's ready. Here's some information, and you can find threads here using the search option on the upper right hand side of the page.

https://www.capc.org/documents/download/1172/

https://www.alz.org/getmedia/4d551ed8-8a02-4280-be33-15edd54782a7/alzheimers-dementia-medicare-hospice-benefit-ts.pdf

psg712 · June 1

Your mom and family will still be his primary caregivers. Hospice will be a support for you.

When to prepare

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