Home Hospice
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 1:15 pm
My Mom had been hospitalized a few times in her life and never did well there. So she wanted to die at home, in her own bed. Back in June, after a long and mostly-healthy life, everything suddenly started failing. She emphasized her desire, so we placed her under a local home hospice. This particular arrangement provides expert care, but mostly in the form of support to family...they don't provide anybody 24-7, although they do have on-call folks 24-7, and medications and equipment and supplies. In our case, for the first couple of weeks, we had an RN come once a week; an aide twice a week; and another "social worker" (more of a coordinator/Program Manager in my opinion) once a week, plus others available as needed. My wife and I provided the 24-7 care. What turned out to be the last week, the RN and aide were to visit daily.
My Mom was a Mom to the end, always looking out for my wife and I ("do you guys ever sleep? Go get some rest, I'll be here," or "are you two eating enough," or a reassuring "I'm not hurting" a few times near the end when she really sounded bad).
The bottom line is that Mom died with dignity, exactly as she wished, and the Home Hospice helped to make that happen. We'd never have been able to do it ourselves anywhere near as well without the expert help. I do miss Mom a lot, but her passing was not a sad day for any of us. I think we could all wish for the same kind of end to a good life.
I'm not looking for sympathy, just wanted to put in a word for hospice-- something I hadn't really thought much about before.
Y'all take care.
My Mom was a Mom to the end, always looking out for my wife and I ("do you guys ever sleep? Go get some rest, I'll be here," or "are you two eating enough," or a reassuring "I'm not hurting" a few times near the end when she really sounded bad).
The bottom line is that Mom died with dignity, exactly as she wished, and the Home Hospice helped to make that happen. We'd never have been able to do it ourselves anywhere near as well without the expert help. I do miss Mom a lot, but her passing was not a sad day for any of us. I think we could all wish for the same kind of end to a good life.
I'm not looking for sympathy, just wanted to put in a word for hospice-- something I hadn't really thought much about before.
Y'all take care.