My 84 year old mother is in hospice care with stage 7 Alzheimer’s. She is still eating very small amounts of baby food with a few small spoonfuls of water. Her oxygen level was very low (60) so they put her on oxygen 24/7. I’m curious to hear other hospice experiences. Is oxygen use considered palliative care? I want my mother to transition as pain free as possible, but part of me wonders how much this is extending her life. I know I sound like the grim reaper, but she is bedridden has no quality of life left. It’s been an 8 year battle with this horrible disease.
Hospice would not approve oxygen if it were considered life extending.
Hospice would not approve a Feeding Tube (they would accept a patient for Hospice that has a feeding tube and they would provide care for it) Hospice would not place an IV for hydration or nutrition.
It is common though for a patient with dementia to remove the canula and even chew on it. The use of oxygen can cause dryness of the nose.
I agree with what Funkygrandma said in that God will take your mother when He determines it's time, and not a moment sooner, with or without oxygen. I'm so sorry you are going through such a stressful time with your mother, and I hope she passes peacefully, sooner rather than later. My mother is 94.5 with advanced dementia & if I hear ONE more time how 'she's nowhere near ready for hospice yet' I swear I my head will explode. I pray to God every single day to end her suffering and yet she keeps going and going and going every day, with chronic pain & confusion that's worsening constantly. I hate ALZ/dementia with every ounce of my being and wonder why such suffering (for everyone) must be endured.
God bless you and give you strength to endure the battle.
God will take your mom home when He is ready for her to come home and not a minute sooner. Just enjoy whatever time you have left with her, and please don't leave anything left unsaid. God bless you.
Oxygen won't extend her life. My mother was put on oxygen when she entered hospice. It was just to keep her more comfortable. Towards the very end, when she was unresponsive, her hospice nurse told me we could take her off of it if we wanted; it wasn't serving any more purpose. Since it didn't seem to matter either way, I kept it on; I found the hum of the oxygen machine comforting, as bizarre as that might sound.
(((hugs))).