Has anyone gone through Hospice for respite care?

The respite care that Hospice provides must be spent at a Medicare qualified facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, etc. The nursing home that we plan to move Dad to is Medicare qualified, so he will spend the 5 days at that nursing home. Once the respite care provided by Hospice ends, we will keep him at that nursing home. It also has a contract of some sort with Hospice. Apparently once Hospice evaluates Dad and admits him to the nursing home for respite, they will continue to look in on him occasionally based on his evaluated needs. They re-evaluate every 6 months. If after 6 months they are no longer needed, they will no longer check on him. I don't know if they continue to re-evaluate after that or not. I will certainly continue to share what I find out. It's a God-send. The Hospice individual I've been talking to (and I wasn't aware that there isn't just "one" Hospice agency, but many) said that Medicare would also cover any medically necessary devices during the 5 respite days, such a wheel chairs, etc.

Well, if you can get him on a hospice care program, I'd say go for it. My husband had dementia and did go on hospice, but only when he was in the final stage and near end-of-life. So I have no experience with what you are considering, but I suggest talking to the doctor to verify that Dad would qualify. (I understand there have been some changes to hospice qualifications for those with dementia, this year.)

It would be kind of you to share what you find out. We learn from each other.

I didn't understand at first either! We are planning to move Dad to a local nursing home. We wanted to admit him just for respite care for a couple of weeks to acclimatize him and see how he would respond, and to give my Mom a break from caregiving, which she hasn't had since Dad was diagnosed 4 years ago. When I spoke with the people at the nursing home, they told me that Hospice can provide respite care of up to 5 days at a time (on an "occasional basis" according to the Medicare site) and that Medicare pays 100% of the cost of this respite care. This is provided in order to give family caregivers a rest. Dad is not eligible for regular Hospice care because he's not near the end of life, can still get around reasonably well, etc. But because he has a definite diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (THIS IS NECESSARY) which is an incurable and worsening disease, he is eligible for this respite care.

I don't think I fully understand. Is Dad now on hospice care? Would he be eligible?