Montgomery Hospice experiences

[Anonymous]

Can anyone share recent experiences (positive, negative, neutral) with Montgomery Hospice caring for their LO? Thanks so much.

[Anonymous]

My father passed away at Casey House last year. Everyone was very kind and supportive. It is a different world from hospitals. They do not provide any fluids or nutrition unless the patient can eat and swallow independently, so you have to accept that. I believe they offer at home support too.

[Anonymous]

Excellent and caring. Both parents.

[Anonymous]

We had an overall good experience with them.

[Anonymous]

Very good experience. They are very professional and on top of things. They came to my mother's assisted living and did hospice there.

I was grateful for everything they did, including contacting the funeral home etc once she passed.

[Anonymous]

We had in home hospice. I have heard many good things about Montgomery Hospice but I had a bad experience with them from the beginning.

My LO had a rare subtype of pancreatic cancer that was potentially curable but I wanted to prepare for the worst and while LO was in the hospital I privately made a home appointment with Montgomery Hospice for a visit anyway. I explained that I wasn’t sure it was terminal yet and the lady who came gave me this knowing look like “yeah right” and was like “call us when you’re ready.” Like vultures, after that visit every couple of weeks someone would call and ask if I was ready for their services yet. I was like “uh look my LO is not dying right now; please don’t call me, I’ll call you.”

Well, treatment didn’t work out and eventually we needed their services. My LO’s medical needs for comfort care were sadly high even in his last days but he was not in shape to transport to Casey House. Their in-home services were minimal. They loaned us a beat up old hospital bed and some other equipment. Volunteers were not people with medical training. Many times I called to ask a medical question and got routed to a chaplain, whom I had no interest in talking to since I’m not religious and who was a young guy and whom I didn’t think was well positioned to be advising senior citizens about dying.

When my LO was dying I called and over several hours they were too busy to send anyone. I hadn’t realized how minimal their services were or that I’d have to be alone when LO passed with nothing much to ease his passing. A nasty nurse named Helen did show up several hours later to declare my LO dead. She was mean and snippy and mostly interested in how soon they could take their beat up loaner furniture back now that my LO was dead, presumably so the next person could die on it ASAP. She kept saying that when my LO was “buried” (which is not our cultural tradition and I’d expect a hospice employee to be more aware of major world religions) and after the tenth time she said it I gently said “cremated” and she actually got annoyed and was like “whatever.” She made a huge show of throwing out all the leftover morphine as though I were some kind of addict.

A few days later a bored-sounding bereavement counselor made what felt like a pro forma call asking if I was okay. I wasn’t. She said she’d send me some literature on grief. She never did. She said she’d call back in a few weeks and she didn’t do that either. It was a fitting end to my interaction with Montgomery Hospice and I was just as happy not to hear from them again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had in home hospice. I have heard many good things about Montgomery Hospice but I had a bad experience with them from the beginning.

My LO had a rare subtype of pancreatic cancer that was potentially curable but I wanted to prepare for the worst and while LO was in the hospital I privately made a home appointment with Montgomery Hospice for a visit anyway. I explained that I wasn’t sure it was terminal yet and the lady who came gave me this knowing look like “yeah right” and was like “call us when you’re ready.” Like vultures, after that visit every couple of weeks someone would call and ask if I was ready for their services yet. I was like “uh look my LO is not dying right now; please don’t call me, I’ll call you.”

Well, treatment didn’t work out and eventually we needed their services. My LO’s medical needs for comfort care were sadly high even in his last days but he was not in shape to transport to Casey House. Their in-home services were minimal. They loaned us a beat up old hospital bed and some other equipment. Volunteers were not people with medical training. Many times I called to ask a medical question and got routed to a chaplain, whom I had no interest in talking to since I’m not religious and who was a young guy and whom I didn’t think was well positioned to be advising senior citizens about dying.

When my LO was dying I called and over several hours they were too busy to send anyone. I hadn’t realized how minimal their services were or that I’d have to be alone when LO passed with nothing much to ease his passing. A nasty nurse named Helen did show up several hours later to declare my LO dead. She was mean and snippy and mostly interested in how soon they could take their beat up loaner furniture back now that my LO was dead, presumably so the next person could die on it ASAP. She kept saying that when my LO was “buried” (which is not our cultural tradition and I’d expect a hospice employee to be more aware of major world religions) and after the tenth time she said it I gently said “cremated” and she actually got annoyed and was like “whatever.” She made a huge show of throwing out all the leftover morphine as though I were some kind of addict.

A few days later a bored-sounding bereavement counselor made what felt like a pro forma call asking if I was okay. I wasn’t. She said she’d send me some literature on grief. She never did. She said she’d call back in a few weeks and she didn’t do that either. It was a fitting end to my interaction with Montgomery Hospice and I was just as happy not to hear from them again.

Oh, PP, I’m so sorry for your loss and for your experience. I don’t even have the words. I was a previous PP from earlier in the thread- we were lucky enough to be able to utilize The Casey House and I’m not sure what experience we would have had if we couldn’t. Hugs to you and your family.

[Anonymous]

We had a bad experience with Montgomery Hospice. The nurse injected a lethal dose of morphine into my parent without telling us in advance. He wasn't ready to die, had been wheeling himself around in a wheelchair, listening to music, etc.

They gave him a lethal dose of morphine and left him alone in a room to die.

I won't get hospice in Maryland again. They don't do anything, and I've gone through this three times now.

I ordered hospice in Florida and that was a good team. In that case, the dying person was actually dying and needed morphine. The nursing home said they didn't have any but the hospice nurse called BS and we had morphine within the hour.

Of course, they always die soon after getting the morphine...It's an opioid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a bad experience with Montgomery Hospice. The nurse injected a lethal dose of morphine into my parent without telling us in advance. He wasn't ready to die, had been wheeling himself around in a wheelchair, listening to music, etc.

They gave him a lethal dose of morphine and left him alone in a room to die.

I won't get hospice in Maryland again. They don't do anything, and I've gone through this three times now.

I ordered hospice in Florida and that was a good team. In that case, the dying person was actually dying and needed morphine. The nursing home said they didn't have any but the hospice nurse called BS and we had morphine within the hour.

Of course, they always die soon after getting the morphine...It's an opioid.

I am so sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had in home hospice. I have heard many good things about Montgomery Hospice but I had a bad experience with them from the beginning.

My LO had a rare subtype of pancreatic cancer that was potentially curable but I wanted to prepare for the worst and while LO was in the hospital I privately made a home appointment with Montgomery Hospice for a visit anyway. I explained that I wasn’t sure it was terminal yet and the lady who came gave me this knowing look like “yeah right” and was like “call us when you’re ready.” Like vultures, after that visit every couple of weeks someone would call and ask if I was ready for their services yet. I was like “uh look my LO is not dying right now; please don’t call me, I’ll call you.”

Well, treatment didn’t work out and eventually we needed their services. My LO’s medical needs for comfort care were sadly high even in his last days but he was not in shape to transport to Casey House. Their in-home services were minimal. They loaned us a beat up old hospital bed and some other equipment. Volunteers were not people with medical training. Many times I called to ask a medical question and got routed to a chaplain, whom I had no interest in talking to since I’m not religious and who was a young guy and whom I didn’t think was well positioned to be advising senior citizens about dying.

When my LO was dying I called and over several hours they were too busy to send anyone. I hadn’t realized how minimal their services were or that I’d have to be alone when LO passed with nothing much to ease his passing. A nasty nurse named Helen did show up several hours later to declare my LO dead. She was mean and snippy and mostly interested in how soon they could take their beat up loaner furniture back now that my LO was dead, presumably so the next person could die on it ASAP. She kept saying that when my LO was “buried” (which is not our cultural tradition and I’d expect a hospice employee to be more aware of major world religions) and after the tenth time she said it I gently said “cremated” and she actually got annoyed and was like “whatever.” She made a huge show of throwing out all the leftover morphine as though I were some kind of addict.

A few days later a bored-sounding bereavement counselor made what felt like a pro forma call asking if I was okay. I wasn’t. She said she’d send me some literature on grief. She never did. She said she’d call back in a few weeks and she didn’t do that either. It was a fitting end to my interaction with Montgomery Hospice and I was just as happy not to hear from them again.

Oh, PP, I’m so sorry for your loss and for your experience. I don’t even have the words. I was a previous PP from earlier in the thread- we were lucky enough to be able to utilize The Casey House and I’m not sure what experience we would have had if we couldn’t. Hugs to you and your family.

I echo this. I'm so sorry for your experience, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a bad experience with Montgomery Hospice. The nurse injected a lethal dose of morphine into my parent without telling us in advance. He wasn't ready to die, had been wheeling himself around in a wheelchair, listening to music, etc.

They gave him a lethal dose of morphine and left him alone in a room to die.

I won't get hospice in Maryland again. They don't do anything, and I've gone through this three times now.

I ordered hospice in Florida and that was a good team. In that case, the dying person was actually dying and needed morphine. The nursing home said they didn't have any but the hospice nurse called BS and we had morphine within the hour.

Of course, they always die soon after getting the morphine...It's an opioid.

Morphine is not given in hospice care to kill anyone. It's a comfort measure, not euthanasia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a bad experience with Montgomery Hospice. The nurse injected a lethal dose of morphine into my parent without telling us in advance. He wasn't ready to die, had been wheeling himself around in a wheelchair, listening to music, etc.

They gave him a lethal dose of morphine and left him alone in a room to die.

I won't get hospice in Maryland again. They don't do anything, and I've gone through this three times now.

I ordered hospice in Florida and that was a good team. In that case, the dying person was actually dying and needed morphine. The nursing home said they didn't have any but the hospice nurse called BS and we had morphine within the hour.

Of course, they always die soon after getting the morphine...It's an opioid.

I’m sorry you went through that. He may have been ready. They gave it to my mil for two weeks and it took her a long time to pass. I wish she would have passed more quickly as it was misreable. The nursing homes don’t have someone there full time for one patient. You have to be there or hire someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had in home hospice. I have heard many good things about Montgomery Hospice but I had a bad experience with them from the beginning.

My LO had a rare subtype of pancreatic cancer that was potentially curable but I wanted to prepare for the worst and while LO was in the hospital I privately made a home appointment with Montgomery Hospice for a visit anyway. I explained that I wasn’t sure it was terminal yet and the lady who came gave me this knowing look like “yeah right” and was like “call us when you’re ready.” Like vultures, after that visit every couple of weeks someone would call and ask if I was ready for their services yet. I was like “uh look my LO is not dying right now; please don’t call me, I’ll call you.”

Well, treatment didn’t work out and eventually we needed their services. My LO’s medical needs for comfort care were sadly high even in his last days but he was not in shape to transport to Casey House. Their in-home services were minimal. They loaned us a beat up old hospital bed and some other equipment. Volunteers were not people with medical training. Many times I called to ask a medical question and got routed to a chaplain, whom I had no interest in talking to since I’m not religious and who was a young guy and whom I didn’t think was well positioned to be advising senior citizens about dying.

When my LO was dying I called and over several hours they were too busy to send anyone. I hadn’t realized how minimal their services were or that I’d have to be alone when LO passed with nothing much to ease his passing. A nasty nurse named Helen did show up several hours later to declare my LO dead. She was mean and snippy and mostly interested in how soon they could take their beat up loaner furniture back now that my LO was dead, presumably so the next person could die on it ASAP. She kept saying that when my LO was “buried” (which is not our cultural tradition and I’d expect a hospice employee to be more aware of major world religions) and after the tenth time she said it I gently said “cremated” and she actually got annoyed and was like “whatever.” She made a huge show of throwing out all the leftover morphine as though I were some kind of addict.

A few days later a bored-sounding bereavement counselor made what felt like a pro forma call asking if I was okay. I wasn’t. She said she’d send me some literature on grief. She never did. She said she’d call back in a few weeks and she didn’t do that either. It was a fitting end to my interaction with Montgomery Hospice and I was just as happy not to hear from them again.

Hospice does not provide the care you are talking about. The Chaplin was the most helpful to me. I am not religious and she never talked about religion and respected by beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a bad experience with Montgomery Hospice. The nurse injected a lethal dose of morphine into my parent without telling us in advance. He wasn't ready to die, had been wheeling himself around in a wheelchair, listening to music, etc.

They gave him a lethal dose of morphine and left him alone in a room to die.

I won't get hospice in Maryland again. They don't do anything, and I've gone through this three times now.

I ordered hospice in Florida and that was a good team. In that case, the dying person was actually dying and needed morphine. The nursing home said they didn't have any but the hospice nurse called BS and we had morphine within the hour.

Of course, they always die soon after getting the morphine...It's an opioid.

You do realize a "lethal dose" is very subjective? Many hospice patients are on "lethal doses" to manage their pain. It was probably just your parent's time and you weren't ready to let them go so you're blaming it on hospice. Many patients who are dying have one last rally where they seem "fine" or at least much more like themselves, and then are gone the next day. I'm sorry for your loss, but you don't need to blame others.