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My 75 yr. old husband has been ventilator dependent and bedridden due to aspiration pneumonia and subsequent pneumonias for 3 months. He's been in ICUs and an LTAC for most of that , but was transferred to a skilled nursing facility (that takes ventilators) 2 times within 3 days because the LTAC said he needed more time to get stronger and get off the ventilator. The first morning at the SNF he got into respiratory distress and they sent him to the ER. He was sent to an ICU for a few days then back to the SNF where he did OK the first night that time. He has been relatively intact cognitively, with some memory, Parkinson's, and OCD issues. Midday at the SNF we waved goodbye and said "I love you" to each other as I had to go to work. That evening, some incident happened, but all they told me when they called was that he pulled out his trach and had already left with EMS to the ER. He evidently had a cardiopulmonary arrest and required 20 minutes of CPR. He's now in an ICU again, and has been unresponsive and in a coma for almost 3 days. They're going to do an MRI after 72 hours and they say that might guide us where to go from here. I can't imagine he will come back from this; it's very sad. I don't know the ins and outs of hospice, assuming that is next.

I would allow the MRI. This will determine if he is brain dead. If so, they can remove the ventilator and let him go naturally. If he ends up hanging in there, I may get Hospice involved at that point and that can be done at the facility. Medicare does not pay for the facility, only Hospice care.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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OK, I am NOT a Nurse or a Medical professional but my gut tells me if he has been on a Vent for 3 MONTHS he is not going to get off the Vent.
Hospice is covered by Medicare/Medicaid and other insurance.
You can contact ANY Hospice you want and have him evaluated. His doctor or the Hospice doctor will verify that he is eligible for Hospice. (Typically the criteria is a life expectancy of 6 months or fewer BUT that is not set in stone, a person can be recertified. As long as there is a continued decline they can recertify)
Many facilities have a Hospice that they work with and there are Hospice Nurses and CNA's that are there. They may even have a Admission Nurse on site.
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Reply to Grandma1954
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I am so sorry for what you're going through. It is hard, this I know.
But now is the time to have your husband transferred to your local hospice home where he will be kept comfortable and pain free until he dies.
If your husband goes to the hospice facility, Medicare will pay 100% if he dies within the week. If in a week he's still here, you can keep him there but you'll have to pay out of pocket to do so.
And if you have him transferred back to the skilled nursing facility, hospice will come there and do what they need to to keep him comfortable and pain free there as well. And the hospice services will be covered 100% under your husbands Medicare.
I can tell you that a hospice facility is very beautiful, very peaceful and the care is top notch, and very family friendly, whereas a nursing facility....not so much.
I wouldn't allow any more testing to be done on your husband as it is a mute point now, but instead get the hospice agency of your choice on board ASAP, and if possible get him transferred to their facility via ambulance. And yes hospice/Medicare will cover the ambulance 100% too.
Hearing is the last sense to go, so make sure you leave nothing left unsaid with your husband, and let him know that you're going to be ok when he leaves this world for the next.
God bless you both.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Hospice is all paid for by Medicare. It’s two cans for baths, an rn to take vitals and social workers or chaplains to talk to you two and you for 13 months after he dies.

No vent support is normally provided nor is skilled nursing care.
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Reply to PeggySue2020
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