My sister is DPOA and has kept my mom on hospice for 2 years after a hospitalization in which she was confused from hyponatremial.

My mom also had compression fractures from osteoporosis. They put her on hospice for her COPD, but at the time that was not the problem. They gave her morphine and Ativan (with my sister encouraging it). Long story short I was told my mom was dying twice, she didn't, I stopped it.

Eventually she moved out of her home to a home where she was encouraged to eat and get out of bed.
They limited her Ativan and stopped morphine. My sister got a new hospice. She moved to independent living and was doing great! In 8 months living in independent care my mom gained 30 Lbs. She was going on field trips, managing her dentist appoints, and even a facial peel.

This July my mom got a new compression fracture. My mom get's very hysterical and is a terrible patient. My sister again encouraged a certain level of inertia in regards to her care. Encouraging her not to get out of bed, and she did not provide the extra aides to help with eating while in independent living. Hospice RN mismanaged her pain meds too. My mom starting walking, but had several set backs N/V, poor appetite. I encouraged aides and kept telling them about the N/V, and diarrhea.

This took weeks for the RN's to adjust meds, and diagnosis c-diff. My sister felt my mom was suffering and encouraged my mom not to received antibiotics for UTI, (after c-diff) flu shot, and to not get out of bed. I talked to the RN and my sister was allowed to make those choices for my mom. Eventually after 3 weeks and talking to the nurse, and doctor she received antibiotics. I was told the DPOA can do this. Is the true? and I asked the doctor why he put her on Hospice in March when she was doing amazing. Better then when she lived all alone two years ago. He said his experience has been that patients live longer on hospice for maintenance care.

During my experience under his care the RN's have mismanaged her medicines, and caused my mom unnecessary side effects. Basic important things were over looked and took weeks to get the correct action.

I communicated with the doctor my experience with the last hospice and my sister's mindset of my mom is she suffering and she has a poor quality of life. I communicated to everybody that mom my gets emotional and very hysterical when she gets fractures and to just give her time to heal. Just recently, after her last fractures she was most sad that she can not drive. I told my mom that people think you are dying. I asked her if she wants to die, and she said some days I want to and other days I don't.

The California health department found 3 violations in regards to my mom's care with the first hospice. I sent the current hospice a copy of the violations hoping they would listen to my concerns. Its disappointing to me that the MD renewed her hospice 3 times....knowing our story. And the RN manager listened to my sister refusing my mom an UA (she got confused) and I had to fight for this.(my mom eventually got antibiotics after 3 weeks of confusion, and the antibiotics helped) It was a constant power struggle with my sister, but to me regardless of DPOA there is standard of care, that would dictate the care my mom would receive. When asked to speak to the RN Supervisor the RN case manager said she would call me back....after 6 weeks I realized she was not being honest. I called the doctor and the Owner eventually called me and answered my questions. The RN was not always honest with me avoiding questions, and deflecting. My moms hospice clients are about 70% dementia patients and 20% cancer patients. My mom was mentally with it to make her dentist appointment , get a ride, and be on time, all without my sister knowing about. She called all my kids on all their cell phones, and remembered over 25 names at her independent living home. Is this the new normal? Is this the new direction of hospice? Is it normal for a DPOA to be able to refuse appropriate medical intervention under managed hospice care?