stephie
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2008
- Messages
- 117
- Reason
- CALS
- Diagnosis
- 01/2007
- Country
- US
- State
- mn
- City
- coon rapids
I have been trying to talk my husband into hospice for at least 6 months now, but he has always said he is "not ready yet." I finally called hospice and asked them to come out for a consultation. I told my husband that they were coming out to explain hospice to us and he could decide whether he wanted to sign up or not. Well, 30 minutes into the visit he was saying "Sign me up!"
My husband thought that hospice would pressure him to "give up" on life and that they would not listen to his wishes. A wonderful doctor came out to visit and told John that he could see that John had a good quality of life and wanted to live it to the fullest. He explained that their only goal is to get us everything we need and keep him comfortable. We did not realized that everything will now be covered 100%. They deliver all of his prescriptions to the house and we pay nothing. We have returned all of our equipment to the ALS loan pool and hospice has replaced it with their own. A nurse comes by once a week and a home health care aid comes twice a week for an hour. (We could have gotten more aid time, but John has to adjust gradually).
Hospice has pre-breavement and bereavement counseling for family members. They pay for all of his tube feeding supplies and formula and will prescribe anything he wants or needs.
If your PALS is putting off checking into hospice, I would highly recommend that you have someone come out for a consultation. You do not need a doctor's referral for a consultation. You will need a referral to sign up, but hospice will also take care of getting that.
My husband thought that hospice would pressure him to "give up" on life and that they would not listen to his wishes. A wonderful doctor came out to visit and told John that he could see that John had a good quality of life and wanted to live it to the fullest. He explained that their only goal is to get us everything we need and keep him comfortable. We did not realized that everything will now be covered 100%. They deliver all of his prescriptions to the house and we pay nothing. We have returned all of our equipment to the ALS loan pool and hospice has replaced it with their own. A nurse comes by once a week and a home health care aid comes twice a week for an hour. (We could have gotten more aid time, but John has to adjust gradually).
Hospice has pre-breavement and bereavement counseling for family members. They pay for all of his tube feeding supplies and formula and will prescribe anything he wants or needs.
If your PALS is putting off checking into hospice, I would highly recommend that you have someone come out for a consultation. You do not need a doctor's referral for a consultation. You will need a referral to sign up, but hospice will also take care of getting that.