Hospice?

[chknwing]

Anyone familiar with it?

well long story short, dads back in hospital with relapse of chf.  Cardiologist can do a procedure to repair his valve, dad declined. wants nature to take its course.  After that I got a rush of hospice information etc.  I made no decisions and told the social worker that I needed time to look into it. I asked her not to send anyone to the house until then. She said they wont come out. they will call you and schedule something.  Not even 12 hours later, I have a van in my driveway trying to delivery hospice equipment. I told them to leave.  I told the social worker I wanted nothing to do with hospice as I did look into it.  Medicare pays Hospice for 6 months of care. So it is in their best interest to push for death within 6 months. They make all medical decisions and dont consult any drs. I dont want a 3rd party making my fathers medical decisions.  Hospice does nothing to prolong life.  Also once under hospice care, medicare will not pay for anything that will prolong life.  Also by doing hospice it effectly removes my fathers ability to change his mind about having the procedure.  People think differently when in a hospital.  I will not be rushed into anything like this.  I did obtain medical power of attorney as well as a living will for him while I was there.  Instead of Hospice, I am having his dr order him a hospital bed and oxygen for the house and adjust his meds back to what they should have been before the hospital screwed them all up.  I just dont need someone trying to rush his death.  The whole hospice thing sounds very shady to me.

[chknwing]

thx. very informative post and basically what I was kind hoping for.  I'm not going against his wishes. But I do want to make sure that is what he wants by talking to him about it outside a hospital environment.  Hospitals can be depressing places to be.  So I didn't want to be rushed into anything before that.  I also dont want him to be under hospice care and then he change his mind about the procedure and then medicare balk at it.  Its a $50K procedure with extensive recovery and rehab.  Dad was given 1 year to live back in 2009 after his brain hemorrhage.  Hes a fairly strong guy.  It felt like the hospital was writing him off and pushing Hospice on us.

[PntherPryd]

had my second experience with Hospice in just over a year and can't say enough good things about the staff I encountered. 

In my experience they brought a lot of dignity and comfort to both patient and family that were nowhere to be found in hospital.

[cookinbrak]

Yeah, Hospice is generally about making the remaining time as painless as possible. And helping the family stay strong.

[thefuzz]

On 11/14/2015, 9:50:15, chknwing said:

thx. very informative post and basically what I was kind hoping for.  I'm not going against his wishes. But I do want to make sure that is what he wants by talking to him about it outside a hospital environment.  Hospitals can be depressing places to be.  So I didn't want to be rushed into anything before that.  I also dont want him to be under hospice care and then he change his mind about the procedure and then medicare balk at it.  Its a $50K procedure with extensive recovery and rehab.  Dad was given 1 year to live back in 2009 after his brain hemorrhage.  Hes a fairly strong guy.  It felt like the hospital was writing him off and pushing Hospice on us.

I applaud you for at least being there for your father, and trying to help him as much as possible.  It's not an easy thing to do for some people.  

I just had a grandparent die, and hospice was there for the last few weeks on and off.  They did a great job, and it helped my family tremendously.  You are doing the right thing by learning as much as you can, but sadly, when doctors start calling for hospice, normally the end is near.  Spend as much time as you can with him.

[captfluoro]

As people have said Hospice is for end of life care at a person's home to give a patient comfort, as well as giving the family relief of constantly having to care for a terminally ill family member.  I'm sorry for your father's condition and I wish him and you peace.