Guest guest Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Hi Air Family, If I may, I'd like to add my experience with hospice. My dear sweet 85 year old mother passed away December 28 after a long battle with COPD. The first week in November she was hospitalized with extremely high levels of CO2 and after an echo was discovered to have a blown mitral valve. Due to her age and condition, she was not a candidate for corrective surgery. We were advised to take her home and make her comfortable. We called hospice from the hospital and they handled everything! Even before she was released from the hospital, they had assigned a nurse, a cna, a chaplain, and a social worker. Equipment was delivered to her home the morning she was released and technicians and the nurses met with us to tell us everything we needed to know about using her v-pap and all the new meds. She loved her nurse who visited her every other day and the chaplain who visited every week. We called constantly, and they were always kind and responsive and came when we needed them to. We had 4 beautiful weeks with mama still like her old self (memory intact, awake, talking and joking and the ability to get up, walk with aids and feed herself). The last 2 weeks were extremely hard as she had no appetite, wouldnt drink her fluids, slept most of the time and had a lot of agitation and shortness of breath. The V-pap mask, which was needed for the CO2 buildup caused a horribly bruise on her face and so much discomfort that we looked for alternatives to making her wear it. As it turns out, we didn't have to put it on her for her remaining time and she died peacefully in her sleep. Again, once called our hospice nurse was at the house in just a few minutes and took care of all the arrangements. She stayed with us until after mom was gone and has called us each day as has the chaplain. I will never forget their kindness and would recommend hospice to anyone. Roxanne, 58, South Carolina 2006 Asthma/ PF 2008 IPF/ Sarcoidosis/Gerd Lady Slipper Orchid > > Subject: Re: Hospice... > To: Breathe-Support > Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 5:44 PM > Live home care vs nursing home or rehab care, insurance > companies are > almost always bias in their paying much more than they need > to to > keep people in facilities instead of home. One of my > daughters does > hospice care and I can tell you that either way those who > work for > hospice are the most caring people. Many hospice agencies > will work > with the insurance company but have other funding available > to assist > patients beyond what the insurance companies pay for. That > is a > discussion you can have in inquiring on how the individual > one works. > > My daughter got into hospice by accident actually and found > she was > good at it. She had a gift of knowing when it is time to > turn her > attention to the family's care. They explain what is > happening and > what will happen so that the family is aware of where the > patient is > at every step of the way. She used to work for in home > care in the > non hospice rhelm but one day they had more actively dieing > as they > call it then they had hospice workers to cover it. The > asked her to > go into the home of a person that they thought would hold > on > longest. Unfortunately that was not the case but she > handled it well > with both the patient and the family. By the time that day > was over > the agency begged her to transfer and she did. Prior to > that shw > worked alzheimers but has never been sorry that she made > the switch. > > They are very special angels in the worse time in the > patient's andd > the family's lives. Hospice is the way to go when the > time comes if > you ask me. Jean > > > > > > > I've been checking into hospice too...I'm at > 90 or 91 on 5 lpm. > > Anyway, I think it's time for a conversation with > hospice. > > > > I called my insurance (BC/BS) and asked them and they > have fairly > > generous hospice coverage (240 days, no deductible) > but home > hospice > > is another story...max of 40 visits per year. > > > > I was hoping to be able to stay in my own home, and > this policy > doesn't > > make that very feasible. Is the bias against home > hospice fairly > > common? > > > > n > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Roxanne... I'm so glad the transition of your mother was an easy one opposed to very difficult. My sympathies in losing your mom however. We're never prepared for that event I don't think. God Bless. MamaSher, age 70. IPF 3-06, OR. NasturtiumsDon't fret about tomorrow, God is already there! Re: Hospice...> To: Breathe-Support > Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 5:44 PM> Live home care vs nursing home or rehab care, insurance> companies are > almost always bias in their paying much more than they need> to to > keep people in facilities instead of home. One of my> daughters does > hospice care and I can tell you that either way those who> work for > hospice are the most caring people. Many hospice agencies> will work > with the insurance company but have other funding available> to assist > patients beyond what the insurance companies pay for. That> is a > discussion you can have in inquiring on how the individual> one works.> > My daughter got into hospice by accident actually and found> she was > good at it. She had a gift of knowing when it is time to> turn her > attention to the family's care. They explain what is> happening and > what will happen so that the family is aware of where the> patient is > at every step of the way. She used to work for in home> care in the > non hospice rhelm but one day they had more actively dieing> as they > call it then they had hospice workers to cover it. The> asked her to > go into the home of a person that they thought would hold> on > longest. Unfortunately that was not the case but she> handled it well > with both the patient and the family. By the time that day> was over > the agency begged her to transfer and she did. Prior to> that shw > worked alzheimers but has never been sorry that she made> the switch.> > They are very special angels in the worse time in the> patient's andd > the family's lives. Hospice is the way to go when the> time comes if > you ask me. Jean> > > > >> > I've been checking into hospice too...I'm at> 90 or 91 on 5 lpm. > > Anyway, I think it's time for a conversation with> hospice. > > > > I called my insurance (BC/BS) and asked them and they> have fairly > > generous hospice coverage (240 days, no deductible)> but home > hospice > > is another story...max of 40 visits per year.> > > > I was hoping to be able to stay in my own home, and> this policy > doesn't > > make that very feasible. Is the bias against home> hospice fairly > > common? > > > > n> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Mama Sher, Thank you. Roxanne, 58, South Carolina 2006 Asthma/ PF 2008 IPF/ Sarcoidosis/Gerd Lady Slipper Orchid > > > > > Subject: Re: Hospice... > > To: Breathe-Support > > Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 5:44 PM > > Live home care vs nursing home or rehab care, > insurance > > companies are > > almost always bias in their paying much more than > they need > > to to > > keep people in facilities instead of home. One of my > > daughters does > > hospice care and I can tell you that either way > those who > > work for > > hospice are the most caring people. Many hospice > agencies > > will work > > with the insurance company but have other funding > available > > to assist > > patients beyond what the insurance companies pay > for. That > > is a > > discussion you can have in inquiring on how the > individual > > one works. > > > > My daughter got into hospice by accident actually > and found > > she was > > good at it. She had a gift of knowing when it is > time to > > turn her > > attention to the family's care. They explain > what is > > happening and > > what will happen so that the family is aware of > where the > > patient is > > at every step of the way. She used to work for in > home > > care in the > > non hospice rhelm but one day they had more actively > dieing > > as they > > call it then they had hospice workers to cover it. > The > > asked her to > > go into the home of a person that they thought would > hold > > on > > longest. Unfortunately that was not the case but she > > handled it well > > with both the patient and the family. By the time > that day > > was over > > the agency begged her to transfer and she did. Prior > to > > that shw > > worked alzheimers but has never been sorry that she > made > > the switch. > > > > They are very special angels in the worse time in > the > > patient's andd > > the family's lives. Hospice is the way to go > when the > > time comes if > > you ask me. Jean > > > > > > > > > > > > I've been checking into hospice > too...I'm at > > 90 or 91 on 5 lpm. > > > Anyway, I think it's time for a > conversation with > > hospice. > > > > > > I called my insurance (BC/BS) and asked them > and they > > have fairly > > > generous hospice coverage (240 days, no > deductible) > > but home > > hospice > > > is another story...max of 40 visits per year. > > > > > > I was hoping to be able to stay in my own home, > and > > this policy > > doesn't > > > make that very feasible. Is the bias against > home > > hospice fairly > > > common? > > > > > > n > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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