hospice

munchkin1
munchkin1 Member Posts: 7
in Caregivers #1

I need hospice help desperately. Does anybody know where I can post about Hospice care. My wife is very sick and there is no more treatment for her at Sloan. She does not want a clinical trial or a 2nd opinion. She is waiting for a bed at a hospice and I need help and a place to post about this situation.

Comments

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    edited October 2016 #2
    Call the doctor

    They must be involved in getting hospice in place.

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    edited November 2016 #3
    Hospice

    There is in-home hospice.  My husband was on in-home hospice for 20 months before he passed.  The way hospice was explained to me, they don't actually do in-patient hospice until the last which was offered to us the last two weeks and which I declined.  Many hopice organizations don't have in-patient facilities.  I have two friends who just lost their husbands and their hospice didn't have facilities and they had to place their husbands in a nursing home which they had to pay for.  Hospice came in and took care of their pain medications and things that hospice normally provides.

    In-home hospice, the nurse visited once a week, provided all his medication dealing with his cancer, oxygen was placed in the home but wasn't needed until the end.  At the end the nurses were coming twice a week and more when needed.  Also I was told, since he was on Medicare, that at the end 24-hour nursing could be provided if needed and wanted.  Each hospice is different just as each state's provisions.

    Your wife's doctor, mainly her primary, is the one who has to request hospice, at least in our state.  My husband's oncologist put in the request for hospice, but our primary doctor's name showed up on everything.  Once on hospice, the hospice doctors took over. 

    Wishing you peace and comfort -- Sharon

     

  • JerzyGrrl
    JerzyGrrl Member Posts: 760 Member
    #4
    Getting started

    The physician is the one who generally writes the order for hospice. Have you asked at Sloan if they have case managers and / or discharge planners who can help provide you with information? If your wife is waiting for a bed, it'll help to know if you can get things started with having her on hospice already as she's waiting for the bed.  Where we live, even though the physicians write the orders, the family can ask questions, ask details about hospices in the area.  My father was in an assisted-living facility and that's where he was assigned a hospice bed. It was a very good set-up. 

    Lots of places have in-home hospice, but that's often way more care-giving than a spouse or even family can manage.  Ask. You're not in this alone. 

    All the best during these difficult times. 

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