My mother in law is in hospice care, but she is still up and about, not totally bed ridden, mind is still keen. How come her doctor put her under this care if she has no cancer or terminally ill disease. All she has is stage 4 copd. That's it.
2007-11-02 10:29:19 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
You act as though stage 4 COPD is a minor thing! I suppose the answer would be that there is very little her doctor can do to cure her, so there is no real reason for her to be cooped up in a hospital. With stage 4 COPD I would assume that she has a treatment plan that would be very difficult for her to manage on her own. In a hospice the nurses would be trained to look after her, watch out for emergencies, help with administering extra oxygen, organise her medicines, cook and clean etc. Just because she isn't bed ridden doesn't mean she has no reason to be there. She has a very serious and debilitating illness that needs special care.
COPD definitely has the potential to become a terminal disease. Many people die from it every year. There is no real cure, only symptom management. If she needs to be in a hospice to get the correct treatment plan then so be it. It is better than living in a hospital.
2007-11-02 11:10:32 · answer #1 · answered by chocoholly1 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The criteria is a doctor's order and stating that she has 6 months or less to live. When the nurses check how someone is doing, if their vital signs don't improve, they may still stay in hospice. Some people have been in hospice well past the 6 month period. Also, people have been discharged from hospice because they were doing better. They can pick up hospice at a later time if their condition warrants it.
2007-11-03 04:20:46 · answer #2 · answered by Simmi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hospice is a "palliative care" concept...it focuses more on comfort and quality of life when your loved one is at the end stages of life, no matter what the disease. Usually people that are in hospice are diagnosed with 6 months to live or less. I have known many of my oncology patients to enter hospice and be completely aware of their surroundings and basically able to care for themselves. Think of it as more of a support system for your mother in law and your family.
As I was reading up a little bit, yes, you absolutely have to be "terminal" to be in hospice care. The person above probably has home health seeing them, not hospice. When I was in nursing school, one of my paitents had been discharged form hospice twice because he survived longer than 6 months each time!!
2007-11-02 14:57:25 · answer #3 · answered by jess0811 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, that is most definatly a terminal illness.
Second, hospice is a voluntarty and non-profit org and they do limit their services. If she has not been given less then 6 months, than she is not under hosipice care. And if she has been and surivives this time line, hosipice will discharge her.
She is probably under a home health care agencies. These companies are contracted out, are for-profit, and function in more or less the same capacity.
2007-11-02 15:42:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can. I know a guy that at the age of 14 was beaten and then over dosed right after the beating and is now severally disabled. He has been since then under the care of Hospice. He is not dying. His mind is still there as well.
2007-11-02 11:00:48 · answer #5 · answered by S P 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My aunt just brought hospice into my mothers home. Didn t make sense to me. She hasn t been to a doctor in years! She had fallen twice and broke both hips and had to get hip replacements, but has never been seen by a doctor ever for any serious illness. Don t get me wrong she is not mobile anymore because of the problems with the broken hips. She is an alcoholic and smokes 5 packs of cigarettes a day. She has gotten where she won t eat and is doing very bad, but has never been seen by a doctor. Just a nurse that came to her house to asses her. My aunt somehow had a doctor that my mom had seen about 3 years ago for a cold to sign off to get hospice for her????? Doesn t make sense to me!! 1 week now into hospice taking meds, still drinking, smoking and not eating. Now my aunt has convinced her to change the beneficiary on her life insurance policies, stock accounts, and make a will to give everything to my niece. WTF?? Does anyone know if a doctor can sign off for someone to get hospice without seeing the person?? I think my aunt is trying to flim flam me and my brothers, but there isn t anything we can do about it. She has convinced my mom to be in agreement with it all now that she is delirious half the time. I have talked to my mom even when she seems to be coherent, but it is almost like she has been brain washed. Anyone have any suggestions?
2015-11-02 03:52:41 · answer #6 · answered by Chantelle 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This happened to my father.
he had severe COPD , was not motivated to help himself, and required more care than assisted living could provide.
the solution? hospice. The hospice aid provided the extra hours of care that were needed. It was a nursing home or hospice.And medicare paid for it.
2007-11-02 18:57:37 · answer #7 · answered by TedEx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, hospice doent necessarlly mean that you are terminally ill. Most patients that are under hospice care are patients that are either elderly or that are near to ( as one can say) to death. Hospice in America has its certain classifications on how to qualify for Hospice, Pts with Cancer, COPD, Chronic Bronchitis, etc can qualify and as well benifit from Hospice.
2007-11-02 10:35:43 · answer #8 · answered by Dr. D 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Isn't that a terminal illness? Hospice will generally not take patients who are not in the end stages of life.
2007-11-02 10:33:58 · answer #9 · answered by maxmom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
www.lungusa.org
Unfortunately, COPD is terminal and yes, you have to be terminal to receive a referral to Hospice.
Make the time matter!
2007-11-04 16:06:01 · answer #10 · answered by lifesaclassroom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋