Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.

Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.

I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.

Do I ask the doctor for this?

OP

If your loved one is living and walking in assisted living and eating then they probably do not qualify.

They don't walk anymore, but they do eat.

On the one hand, people here say families wait to long to call hospice. On the other hand, I am not a doctor and don't know what is appropriate. Even a doctor can't actually predict a person will die in six months. You never really know unless they are in active dying.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.

Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.

I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.

Do I ask the doctor for this?

OP

If your loved one is living and walking in assisted living and eating then they probably do not qualify.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.

Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.

I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.

Do I ask the doctor for this?

OP

Anonymous wrote:Parent is entering the sixth or seventh stage of dementia, which I think is considered an end stage disease.

While reviewing parent's advance directive, I see they did not want medications and medical interventions at a certain point. My question is that I don't know what that point would be and assume a doctor would indicate when the right time is to withdraw medicartions. Is it now when they are in the final stages of this disease, or does that come later when they can no longer eat...?

In the case of my now-deceased parent, hospice was started with parent would not eat. But then they'd start eating again. The situation is not linear and, therefore, was confusing to all of us in the family.

Is this something I need to discuss with the primary care doctor?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.

Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.

I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.

Do I ask the doctor for this?

OP

Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.

Anonymous wrote:As soon as they let you (I mean the drs or hospice people or whoever makes those decisions)

Anonymous wrote:Look for a hospice organization that's been around for a while, preferably a nonprofit. There's a lot of fraud in signing up people in LTC facilities.

Anonymous wrote:Parent is entering the sixth or seventh stage of dementia, which I think is considered an end stage disease.

While reviewing parent's advance directive, I see they did not want medications and medical interventions at a certain point. My question is that I don't know what that point would be and assume a doctor would indicate when the right time is to withdraw medicartions. Is it now when they are in the final stages of this disease, or does that come later when they can no longer eat...?

In the case of my now-deceased parent, hospice was started with parent would not eat. But then they'd start eating again. The situation is not linear and, therefore, was confusing to all of us in the family.

Is this something I need to discuss with the primary care doctor?

Anonymous wrote:I didn't read everything, but as others have said, hospice is no longer just end of life care - although my dad with dementia did pass away within 6 months of starting hospice care. My mom's one regret is that she didn't involve hospice sooner. What sent her over the edge was the endless doctor's appointments. Once hospice is involved, the nurse comes to you, discusses care plan, orders medications, etc.

It is not too soon to reach out to hospice. My thoughts are with you.