Anonymous
01/29/2015 13:31
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
Here's a pretty good overview of hospice:
http://www.webmd.com/balance/tc/hospice-care-topic-overview
http://www.webmd.com/balance/tc/hospice-care-topic-overview
Anonymous
01/29/2015 09:04
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
PP here: Father has been under Hospice care for over a year + now.
Anonymous
01/29/2015 09:03
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
My father has Alzheimer's and is under "Hospice care" at home. My mom is his full-time caregiver but the Hospice company provides daily aides to bathe him/change his sheets, nurses a few times a week, social worker, chaplain, etc. They also provide a lot of supplies - diapers, medicine, etc. This is all no cost to my parents as my father is on SS disability/medicare.
Anonymous
01/29/2015 08:29
Subject: Re:What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
Hospice care is a specific term for "end of life" care. Usually meaning the last 6 months of life. It means terminal within a set period of time. If the person is in a care facility, it directs the staff and the family as to the status.
Anonymous
01/29/2015 08:19
Subject: Re:What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
It sounds as if she has dementia and may just be in slow process of aging if she has no specific diagnosis of a condition. Best you can do is to be sure she does have the personal care assistance she needs to be sure she stays clean, comfortable, takes any meds as prescribed and what she eats is nutritious. In terms of her giving her some pleasure, you might inquire as to whether there is a certain kind of music or old tv show which she might hear that would improve her spirits. And if you do visit, just spend some time with her perhaps chatting about past happier times, brushing her hair, etc. Aging is hard.
Anonymous
01/29/2015 06:32
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
Hospice is for end of life care.
Palliative care, however often is misunderstood and can be hugely benefited by "healthy" elderly people. I think your in law has to have a referral from his/her primary care physician but please look into it. Both hospice and palliative care are such wonderful options
Palliative care, however often is misunderstood and can be hugely benefited by "healthy" elderly people. I think your in law has to have a referral from his/her primary care physician but please look into it. Both hospice and palliative care are such wonderful options
Anonymous
01/29/2015 05:27
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
Read Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Anonymous
01/29/2015 05:11
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
Hospice is for people who are at end of life from illness but whose only medical course is "palliative" which means comfort measures. It is not for the healthy elderly.
You know an elderly person is terminally ill or close to death the same way you know anyone is close to death -- their vital signs are terminal.
You know an elderly person is terminally ill or close to death the same way you know anyone is close to death -- their vital signs are terminal.
Anonymous
01/28/2015 23:24
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
Non-profit hospices provide better care.
Anonymous
01/28/2015 23:10
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
Generally you are referred to hospice when one is given less than 6 months to live. Some last only a few days others are discharged out of service if their condition improves. Service is focused on end of life care either at home or in a facility. Treatment is palliative in nature, not for treatment.
You should speak to her in law and or her care takers to see if they have discussed hospice. It is generally covered by Medicare or insurance. There are also community based services where the medical care is covered but volunteers provide the family support.
You should speak to her in law and or her care takers to see if they have discussed hospice. It is generally covered by Medicare or insurance. There are also community based services where the medical care is covered but volunteers provide the family support.
Anonymous
01/28/2015 23:02
Subject: What exactly is "hospice care" and how does it work?
I keep reading about hospice care in this website but I am still not sure of what is it, how it is used, when it is used, who pays for it, how much is it and what exactly it consists of? Is it just for people with a terminal illness such a cancer?
If not, can it be/should it be used for "healthy" (by healthy I mean no particular illness such as cancer, liver failure, etc) elderly that is just in the process of dying of general old age and all the ailments that come with it?
In that case, when exactly do you know it is time to call hospice care - in other words, when/how exactly do you know the elderly is dying to close to dying?
My elderly in law looks like can pass any minute and has gotten so much worse in the last 3 years or so. Her mind is mostly gone, her eyes look blank and like she is "out of it." She rarely talks and mostly just mumbles and groans and makes strange noises, but sometimes (rarely) she says one word sentences such as "coffee" "cold" "thank you" "bed." But that is rare.
Most days she sleeps 95% of the time and I am not exaggerating. She can see very poorly and mostly use her tact, she can't hear well or maybe nothing at all, can't walk or just barely. Mostly when she ventures to walk by herself she falls. Even with help is very hard for her to move. She just sleep, eat, sit and nap, bathroom, sit and nap, eat, bathroom, sit and nap, etc until it is time to go to bed again. How much can someone sleep? She sleeps more than a newborn.
If not, can it be/should it be used for "healthy" (by healthy I mean no particular illness such as cancer, liver failure, etc) elderly that is just in the process of dying of general old age and all the ailments that come with it?
In that case, when exactly do you know it is time to call hospice care - in other words, when/how exactly do you know the elderly is dying to close to dying?
My elderly in law looks like can pass any minute and has gotten so much worse in the last 3 years or so. Her mind is mostly gone, her eyes look blank and like she is "out of it." She rarely talks and mostly just mumbles and groans and makes strange noises, but sometimes (rarely) she says one word sentences such as "coffee" "cold" "thank you" "bed." But that is rare.
Most days she sleeps 95% of the time and I am not exaggerating. She can see very poorly and mostly use her tact, she can't hear well or maybe nothing at all, can't walk or just barely. Mostly when she ventures to walk by herself she falls. Even with help is very hard for her to move. She just sleep, eat, sit and nap, bathroom, sit and nap, eat, bathroom, sit and nap, etc until it is time to go to bed again. How much can someone sleep? She sleeps more than a newborn.