How do I know when to switch to a hospital bed? My husband has difficulty walking. Sometimes it is easy and other times it is very difficult for me to get him from point A to point B. He is sleeping from 8:00 pm to 11:00am. Up for an hour then sleeping from 12:30 to 3:30pm then back to sleep from 4:00 to 5:30--6:00. This is pretty much the routine. He is gotten up for the hospice shower person two times a week but then goes right back to sleep once he has eaten breakfast. (small meal) Lunch again is a small meal as is dinner. He is letting me feed him more and more. Today he was sleeping in his lounge chair and was very happy when I said he could go and sleep in his bed. Can you give me any direction?
For us, the hosp. bed provides safety from falling out, and comfort due to adjusting the feet or head. Also changing the height can help for such things as a bed bath, etc. She doesn't like to sleep alone, so I sleep with her even though it is a little crowded. I like to be able to hold her, so it doesn't matter if I get a great night's sleep or not. I think it would be a good thing.
I was reading some of the discussions and feel I have to add that my husband is uncapable of any household tasks of any kind. Does not read book although he used to read, read, read. Television is not watched at all. It is on to keep him company when I am not in the room. Trying to take him out with me when I have to run errands is torture for him and me. Getting in and out of the car and up and down the five steps we have is almost impossible now.
Sally, we have the same situation, except that she is not able to walk or even stand supported for more than a few seconds. So I transfer her from bed to small wheelchair to couch or to car and back again. Had to buy a 2-door car so the door would open wide enough to transfer her at all, due to her needing more lifting and space. Now the only issue is when we get to the grocery store and she refuses to get out of the car. Most of the time I can convince her, but one time we just had to go back home w/o any food.
Oh I do so feel for all of you who have just posted. I sure did go through that stage, I think it was the worst yet. My husband did the very same thing. Now the only time I try to take him out is for a very short drive when no one gets out just a drive through such as bank, even then I never know if I can get him to the car. I just had a ramp built because I was having trouble with him taking one step down which is all we had even one step caused a problem.
I cannot push a manual wheel chair, I have a very bad back, he is too heavy, so I am getting ready to try for the Power Chair through Medicare, he does have a diagnosis more than just Alzheimer that should qualify him. They will not accept a diagnosis of only Alzheimer, (go figure, they do not think Alzheimer justifies them for hardly anything and I get angry just thinking about it.) If we qualify I will get the caregiver control so that I can operate it from the back and it will make things easier getting him from one room in the house to the other, right now I have to guide and lead and gently pull him along and it takes forever.
The guidelines for Medicare Power chair do allow a power chair even if the person cannot operate it if there is a caregiver with the patient 24/7 willing and able to operate the power chair and unable to use the Manual chair, this fits our situation very well as my condition is very well documented and has been for several years now.
I started this one time before but before we could even get the paper work finished to start the claim my husband started declining very fast and Hospice was called in. He is now stable in stage 7b and Hospice will be leaving us May 20th, I will start the request for the chair as soon as I can get an appointment with his regular Doctor. Wish me luck.
His Doctor is sending a RX for the Hospital bed for us and Hospice will be leaving it with us.
Sally, as for the criteria for Medicare to pay for the Hospital bed, you husband needs to not be able to get out of bed on his own, the guidelines are pretty easy on the bed. I have to use the bed not just for rails for safety, that would not be a reason that they would qualify although it is a need, I have to use the bed to get him in a sitting up position so that I can get him out of bed.
Sally, I just re-read your post. If you now have Hospice they should supply you with a hospital bed, just tell them you need one. I would think they should already have brought one in, the sleeping constant is a sign of the very late stage.
Jane, I do hope this goes through for you. That will be a big help to you and him. Why do they make this stuff so difficult for the very people who need it???
Sally I think the time for a hospital bed is now. You have health issues and your LO is in danger of falling. Transfers from the hospital bed to wheel chair will be easier. Make sure you ask Hospice for the special mattress to prevent bed sores.
My spouse is still able to walk but he is VERY slow. He lags behind me and I'm getting to dread taking him out more and more. My question is, at what point would it be acceptable to ask the DR for prescription for a state disabled parking permit? Sometimes I have to park way out "on the South Forty" and it's a long walk to get DH into the store or medical appt.
gmaewok, you should do it NOW> You can download a form from the DMV and fill it out then take it to your Doctor and he will fill out his part and you take it to the DMV and they will issue you a card.
Jane, why is Hospice leaving you in stage 7? I would think they would be needed more in that stage. Also, a transport chair is much easier to manover than a wheelchair.
Imohr, I have a transport chair, I cannot push him in it on the carpeted floor and even the hard tile floors it is hard. I have nerve damage in my back, the motor root was damaged from the shingles and I simply cannot push him. I even have a problem pushing on anything with the left side of my body, I have to use my right side to even push a door open. It is very bad. I cannot and will not push a manual wheel chair. If I cannot get one from Medicare then I will have to purchase it myself. It is a must for us.
Hospice is leaving us because my husband is mostly at a stand still, no co-morbidity, meaning nothing else such as aspiration pneumonia, bed sore, or urinary tract infections, no infections of any kind. The Alzheimer decline is not enough unless there is trouble that would cause them to think that death will occur soon. The laws are changing and after being on Hospice for 6 months they will be needing more on the recert than just a mental decline that is not life threating. He is becoming more and more unaware really noticed that a lot this week but that does not count.
Just ask Sandi, her husband was bed-ridden and in the final stages Hospice also left her. They have certain things they look for and if it is not there then off they go till a later time. No problem, in many ways I am happy about it, this tells me I will have him with me longer and not so much doom and gloom, when they were here it seems like a constant reminder. I was having to do everything anyway, I could not use the respite because they abused him, the CNA they sent to our house, I walked in and caught her up in his face trying to fight with him over his housecoat belt, and on and on it went. Glad they are gone.
Gee, Jane, I am sorry. You really have your hands full. Those of you with serious illnesses yourself have it doubly hard taking on a AD patient. I am glad you are ok with Hospice leaving. The part I liked best with Hospice for my Mom was the aide coming at 7 in the mornings to get her up, bath, teeth, hair, dress her and change and make her bed. Other than that the CNA came once a week and the Nurse came once a week. All they did was check her vitals and fill out some papers. But, I could ask them questions about things.
The aide who did the bathing for my Mom also has some private patients and she only charges $10. an hour. She will stop for my dh when he gets to that point but I don't need Hospice. The bathing routine is a great help to me but right now he can do his own and would not stand for someone else to see him naked although he will walk through the house naked.
and Sally, I don't think you said he's on hospice. I think you should definitely get them to come out and observe him and get a hospital bed prescribed (that way you don't have to pay for it) and advise you in general.
Sally, when my DH was in the hospital, the Care Manager called and made all the arrangements for the hospital bed, potty chair, walker, etc., and they were at the house when the ambulance brought him home. I signed for them, but never saw a bill. I did call for them to come pick up the bed several months later....because it was in the family room and we didn't need it. I suppose we should have kept it, but at the time, I was only thinking that he was able to get in and out of our bed by then. At that time, it didn't occur to me that if I kept it (say in the garage) that I could use it later. It was like having an "ELEPHANT" in the family room and I wanted it to be gone!
The point is, that if a doctor says he needs it, Medicare will pay for it. They call it a lease, but I'm told the lease paid monthly until the value of the bed is paid for. Assuming, of course, the Medical Supply Company doesn't keep billing Medicare forever. Surely they wouldn't do anything like that... ha ha ha.
Wow. There is so much information on this site. We just got a hospital bed for my dh. It is a rental and I am paying the upgrade to fully automatic. All we needed was the dr. prescription. Had to request a longer bed as my dh is tall. Need to take into account the head/foot rails as they add an additional 4 inches. Sheets you can get through JCP but not a lot of choices (twin xl). Most hospice is not available until they are completely bedridden. My dh uses the rented wheelchair to walk behind and it works very well and gives him security. I still have to guide it on the side. Was not aware of the electric chairs that have a remote for the caregiver. I know I looked into this years ago and they said they did not have anything. I have the transport chair in the car. It is so much lighter than the wheelchair. I would not be able to lift it out otherwise. It was suggested to me by a nurse to put a plastic bag on dh's seat in the car to help him turn in/out easier. Works ok. I too am experiencing the pain of shingles. Shots are not available through Kaiser until you are 65. Wish I knew about it prior to getting the shingles.
Oh, yes, I too don't understand why AD is not treated as serious as some other diseases. I guess there is not enough information yet for the medical profession.
You can get the parking placard by asking your dr. for a prescription. Then take it to the Auto Club and they can give you a placard right then and there. It is renewed every couple of years (they just send the new one in the mail). Should not be a problem. Sure makes a big difference.
brindle I can truly feel your pain. I was really suffering with the agony of shingles during an ill fated road trip with DH. I am still amazed at how little the outside world knows about dementia and the fact that it is fatal.
We were able to get a hospital bed for my husband with a doctor's prescription when we moved, even though he was still able to walk and do all activities of daily living himself. That was before he went onto Medicare. The insurance pays rental for 10 months or a year and then you own it.
My doctor ordered a Hospital bed and Lift Chair for my husband. They had been letting him sleep in a recliner at the ALF. However, he has no use of his left arm which is his dominate..due to atrophy. And very little use of his right in the mornings after sleeping. I had a terrible time getting him out of the recliner this morning, he was wet & needed attended to. I was so afraid that he would fall, somehow by the grace of God I was able to get him up.
I preferred the GEL mattress, Mimi. It moved wen he did and our Hospice people recommended it. Just do NOT expect them to rest on the basic mattress. They are terrible. Also, most hospital beds require Xtra LONG sheets.