I was told that if my Mother (who has dementia and has just gotten out of the hospital for pneumonia) goes on Hospice (and she is in a skilled nursing facility) that everything would be the same except that she would have a person come out to feed her and another person to come out to sit with her. Besides all that would be done as usual, in the nursing facility. Is this true of Hospice now days? Years ago hospice was totally end of life. They told me it would be more help. Can anyone clue me in on the Hospice that they are doing in 2019.
Palliative care is one of the most important functions of Hospice. With the personal physician's knowledge, they are permitted to administer medications and drugs to alleviate the pain and discomfort many end-of-life patients experience that, by law, the regular physician is not.
It is always advisable to investigate each individual Hospice being considered as they are not all of the same caliber. The one I am associated with is 5-star rated in every aspect, and had I been aware of their services years ago when my mother was dying, I would certainly have enlisted their help.
A person does have to have a Life limiting condition, be seeking no further treatment for that illness. Generally 6 months is a guideline but and this is a big BUT..
As long as there is a continued, documented decline a person can remain on Hospice. My Husband was on Hospice for 3 years.
With Hospice you and your Mom will have a Social Worker, a Chaplain if you want, a CNA that will bathe, dress and possibly feed your Mom. They will not be there all day but probably an hour or so a few times a week. (The bath that they get from Hospice CNA will be in place of the bath that the Nursing facility would have given they will not get more than the necessary baths)
You will also have the ability to request volunteers. Someone that can come in and visit, they can do no hands on help though. A variety or therapies can be requested like music, art, pet, massage (usually Reiki therapy)
Hospice is focused on Pain and symptom management so the entire goal will be to keep your Mom comfortable and to help you through what may be a difficult time.
If you know that name of the Hospice that will be helping your Mom go to their website and see what they are all about, see what they offer, see how they can help your Mom and your family.
I could not have done what I did for my Husband without the help, support, supplies, equipment and education that Hospice provided me.
Be aware that some meds maybe stopped. She may not be sent to the hospital or go to doctors. Check this out.
They will come in an evaluate her after 3 months, or something like that. If there is anything that may look threatening, they will let the doctor know, and they will evaluate you mom. If they do graduate her, you can ask for palliative care.
My own mom received hospice only once, completed with her death; we could see her decline over 3 years in a well-regulated SNF and we knew she reached the end. Hospice told us there would be extra help for her and there was. Their care for our family was phenomenal after our mother died, with memorials monthly for those who'd passed, annually one year later, and numerous answered phone calls directly after the event. This was 2015.
(This of course will change over time.) She resides in a NH that doubles as a skilled nursing facility. Hospice is still used for end of life care but it's also meant to help the staff at a NH keep an extra pair of eyes on the patient. Everything does stay the same, just with an extra pair of helping hands.
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