Both my grandparents were in hospice care when they died.
My grandfather and grandmother had a car accident a couple of years ago and they went to the hospital for an exam. They found Cancer in my grandfathers bones. I didn’t know this until I got a call from the hospice coordinator and was shocked to hear this. I should not have been surprised though, because my grandfather had been getting skinnier for months and I noticed. I told him he needed to eat more. As it turns out, he had had a PSA of 100 and knew about it.
He chose to have hospice care at home. He received pain control, and comfort care with hospice. We hired a girl to care for him M-F and then eventually we brought in 24 hour care for him. I was thankful for hospice for him
Hospice is not necessarily a place, although it can be. Hospce is a service that provides end-of-life care and support to the dying and their families, most often in the patient’s home. When signing up for hospice, patients generally agree to stop all disease-fighting treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, although some hospices allow such therapy if it is to help manage symptoms, such as pain or problems breathing. However, the primary goal for hospice is alleviation of pain and comfort care at the end of life. They provide medications, nursing care, medical equipment such as hospital beds, bedside commodes, walkers, etc. Hospice can educate families on care for the loved one and help with the spiritual, emotional and psychosocial needs of the patient.
When my grandfather first entered hospice care I attained Power of Attorney for him and his accounts so I could help my grandmother keep the home running in light of her worsening dementia. I made sure bills were paid and 24 hour care help was hired.
After my grandfather died at age 96 in November 2015, I retained the 24 hour caregivers for my grandmother because she needed someone there all the time and I couldn’t provide that for her. We took her car keys because she had gotten lost miles and miles from home one day and gave my grandfather such a fright while he was still alive. It was time for my grandmother, who lived in service of others to have some help for herself.
A year went by and my grandmother wakes up and is noticed to be lethargic one morning by her night caregivers. She is taken to the hospital by EMS. She had a UTI and was dehydrated. They gave her fluids and IV antibiotics. A discussion was had with the physician that it would be best that she not be home anymore. She couldn’t walk and needed rehab. When she was discharged from the hospital I had her transported to a rehab facility near to me (I lived 3 hours away) so I could see her more.
Her rehab wasn’t going well. She wouldn’t take the oral antibiotics pain medicine and ended up getting fluids there as well. She was there about three weeks when hospice was discussed. As it were, she wasn’t really participating in rehab and she wasn’t eating or taking medication and I made the decision to put her in hospice care. She was in hospice for less than a week when she passed away. She was 96 years old. She was ready and I knew that. I told her when when she was unresponsive that she shouldn’t worry about us that we would be fine and when SHE was ready she could go join Grandpa and her parents in heaven. I was not there when she passed, I was on the way to see her when I got the call.
My experience with hospice was much different than what I experienced with my grandfathers hospice care. A volunteer sat with her during the night when I could not be there so she wouldn’t be alone. There was so much kindness shown my grandmother and myself. I was offered grief counseling but declined as I didn’t want to discuss. They followed up. Much different than the other hospice experience. It was very comforting for her and for we her family members.
Medicare pays for hospice care. It is a benefit that all medicare beneficiaries have.
