I want to thank those of you that kept saying Hospice isn't called early enough! I took your advice and now have it for DH. It is a great help! My doctor was skeptical they would admit him but he ordered it anyway, because I asked him too. My DH hasn't lost weight, is still eating by himself, after it is set up. He is able to walk without assistance, but needs help getting up out of chair or bed. He does have ataxia.Hr requires help with everything else. He is totally incontinent, and doesn't even know if he has a bowel movement in his clothes. He is sleeping 12 to 14 hrs a day. He still knows me and our dtr and grandson, that's about it. He can talk but is very quiet most of the time. This describes my DH nows, how was your spouse wen put on hospice? I put my spouse in stage 6, going into 7.
Yes, I was one of the ones who was told that most people don't call hospice soon enough. Ron was probably in mid stage 7. He could sometimes walk by holding things and with a walker. He had trouble transferring. He couldn't turn enough so he would sit down between the recliner and the wheelchair. Getting him off the floor was a challenge. He was totally incontinent and in Depends. He was still verbal but didn't always make sense. Hospice accepted him immediately. Four weeks later he was so unstable that we kept him in the hospital bed. He died 10 months to the day after he was admitted to hospice. I never would have been able to keep him home without their help.
My husband was also just put on hospice yesterday. I know it will really help him....he can't feed himself at all and cant dress or use the bathroom with out help. He either leans forward or to the right so much when he walks it makes balance and feeding him so hard. I just hate that we are at this point. You can only understand about 50% of what he says, but he still knows me and our kids and retains a fun sense of humor. That helps!