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My mother was recommended for Hospice almost 2 yrs ago by her doctor, for end-stage chf. She was in bad shape back then, but seems to have benefitted from the care of Hospice. She is being maintained on lasix and metazolone (water pills), and her thyroid medication. She also developed Inflammatory Breast Cancer about a year ago, but has not treated for it. Her decline is there, but it is slow. She is still managing in her home with the help of a CNA who comes 2x a week, and of course me. Her pacemaker is 11 yrs old this month. She is almost 95 yrs old. Anyone else have a LO who has been 2 yrs or longer on Hospice Care?

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I am so happy for your mom that she has the extra help of hospice. My mom had CHF and I asked her cardiologist about hospice for her. He sent her to a heart transplant clinic that also treated advanced CHF. She would have really benefited from hospice. She really struggled her last few years. She also had a pacemaker to keep the heart beat at 60 but no problems with BP etc. She did have home health and the help of a CNA, a nurse and therapist. The idea of hospice would have frightened her.
I have an aunt in her 80s with Parkinson’s. She’s been on hospice over three years. My uncle is now on hospice as well which started while having Covid along with other family members. The oxygen they had on hand came in handy during Covid as two of the five that had it needed the oxygen.
A few months ago my DH aunt, 94 with dementia, was placed on hospice. Early days for her but I suspect she will be on it for quiet awhile.
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My mom was on hospice and bedfast for 18 l..o..n..g months in a NH. Really as ,on gas they continue to qualify based on the re-evaluation done every couple of month, they stay on hospice. I’m with the others in that for us, my mom being on hospice was definitely a total positive.
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My husband was under hospice care in our home for the last 22 months of his life. As long as your loved one keeps qualifying for their care you will remain under it. The Good Lord apparently isn't quite ready for your mom yet. Make the most of whatever time you have left with her.
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My Husband was on Hospice for almost 3 years.
I thank God for the help I got from those Angels that took care of him. With their help and the fact that he was easy going and very compliant I was able to keep him home and because I got the equipment, supplies and support I needed I was able to take great care of him. Had a series of caregivers that helped out some GREAT, most good one BAD! But that is the way life goes.
As long as there is a "documented decline" and meets recertification guidelines your LO can remain on Hospice.
Has Hospice talked to you about the pacemaker? There are pro's and con's about keeping them active or not.
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nymima Jan 2021
We all know that the battery to her pace maker must be on the way out. But we haven’t talked about turning it off. It’s not a defibrillator where she would get zapped if the battery was running low. If the battery has run out, then she running in her own heart energy I suppose? She had the pacemaker put in to keep her heart from dropping below 60 beats a minute because she was passing out from syncope. Her heart beat was going down to 35 beats a minute at that time. Her blood pressure now registers around 85/48 most days. It’s dropping, but she’s dealing with it. They took her off one of her lasix pills because of the b/p drop, and she’s holding at that (84/48) for a few weeks. And she is getting swollen ankles again. But she’s managing.
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