My husband was approved for Hospice yesterday. Although I asked Dr for referral to vns , I couldn't really process the reality of it all. My private tears came flowing as I sat next to my husband lying in bed unable to do anything for himself.
When I finally placed him in an ALF in August, he walked in, continent, eating by himself, speaking enough to communicate, and 165 lbs. He is in third ALF, close to home, where he will stay. He is now 140 lbs., unable to walk, transfer, bathe, feed himself and talk. He has a pressure sore at his spine and cellulitis on hand. He has been getting excellent care and a private aide not to mention daily visits from me.
HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN SO QUICKLY?? I am appreciative of extra care and supplies we will receive. But. Shocked. Didn't ask them about timeframe but his daughter asked me. Don't know what to think???
Lorrie, I'm so sorry you've been on this rollercoaster in such a short period of time. The changes can happen so quickly, really catching us off guard. I'm glad Hospice is on board to help out.
When my dh was first dx'd, he was declining at the speed of light, so much so the doctor who diagnosed him intimated he had probably no more than 2.5-3 years. Well, that was 6.5 years ago now and he seems to be "stuck" in mid-stage 7. I wonder how much longer this will go on. I have observed that each time he has been hospitalized or in a facility he declines significantly while there.
My advice is make sure you really want to know the answer and are prepared before you ask the doctor about the timeframe.
Yeah, Lorrie, that bedsore is really not acceptable. Stay on top of it--they should be moving mountains to get it healed…and it shouldn't have happened in the first place. Larry seemed to plateau forever, but when he took that sudden nosedive on April 13, 2014, the change was just unbelievably quick. He never walked again…at least, not without major assistance…and the the agitation and restlessness just got crazy wild…he slipped off into a coma the last week...and he was gone by Sept. 2, as you can see by my star. And after his five days of Hospice respite, from July 12-16, he came home with a bedsore. I was furious, as I've posted a time or two on here.
Tips for preventing/healing bedsores: Push for good nutritional and fluid intake. Keep the area clean and dry. Keep all bedding clean, dry, free of wrinkles, lumps, etc. When transferring, be careful not to do anything that could rub off a layer of skin…like pulling the patient with bare skin across a plastic or rubber surface. Bare skin is never to touch plastic. Keep the skin well-lubricated and smooth with lotion. Make sure patient is turned and positioned, or changes position, at least every two hours. Watch the skin closely for signs of pressure. A reddened area that does not disappear after a few moments of gentle rubbing is a warning sign--that area is already damaged, and may open up. The "pressure points" are where bedsores are most likely to start…the bony prominences…back of ears, elbows,the spine, coccyx (tailbone) and hips, back of the knees, back and sides of heels. A patient in poor condition can have skin breakdown very easily…really look at the person's skin, head to toe, back to front. Report those reddened areas immediately. Lay people don't realize what an important warning sign they are.
It is hard to give a prognosis for Alzheimers. Just because they've been admitted to Hospice doesn't necessarily mean there is a six-month prognosis. Larry's Hospice nurse and social worker told me that they had carried dementia clients as long as three years.