My husband has end stage COPD, he is 84 and IAm 59. We have been married for 37 years. I love him dearly but I feel like I am going crazy. The doctor has recommended Hospice. They came out to talk to us and really freaked us both out. They said once you go on hospice you will agree to their care only and they will give him things to make him comfortable but will probably take him off all his medications. He would then be on only the medications that hospice prescribes. We both declined. That was 2.5 months ago. He is now showing signs of dementia, wets the bed almost every night, wakes me up at all hours of the night and I don’t know what to do.
I have my own business and work about 20 hours per week. I hired Home Instead to care for him while I am at work. Their care givers were a complete desisted. I have now changed to Synergy Home Care. They are a great company but I need more help and can not afford more. I have not slept more than 4 hours a night in the past several years.
Is there anyone out there that has dealt with Hospice? From what I have read on their website it sounds great and not at all like the way the woman that came out described. Problem is there are about 15 different Hospice organizations in Houston and I am lost as to who and which one is the best. Can anyone please comment and give advice! Please
Hello Jvdeb - I ran across your post as I am searching for the same answers that you were last year. We must live parallel lives as my husband and I are almost the same age as you and your husband and are oddly enough in the Houston area. I have very much the same situation. I was wondering what you learned and what eventually happened if you are willing to share. My husband is not ready for withdrawal of care either and I am at wits ends what to do for him. He is currently in the hospital and the Dr's are not willing to release him to me for fear his end stage care will overwhelm me and are recommending Hospice or LTAC. All he wants is to come home. We have now been separated by COVID19 rules at the hospital for 3 weeks (yes really - they will not allow me in even though I have legal responsibility for him through MPOA) and he is suffering terribly from not having loving and attentive care.
Hello Jvdeb - I ran across your post as I am searching for the same answers that you were last year. We must live parallel lives as my husband and I are almost the same age as you and your husband and are oddly enough in the Houston area. I have very much the same situation. I was wondering what you learned and what eventually happened if you are willing to share. My husband is not ready for withdrawal of care either and I am at wits ends what to do for him. He is currently in the hospital and the Dr's are not willing to release him to me for fear his end stage care will overwhelm me and are recommending Hospice or LTAC. All he wants is to come home. We have now been separated by COVID19 rules at the hospital for 3 weeks (yes really - they will not allow me in even though I have legal responsibility for him through MPOA) and he is suffering terribly from not having loving and attentive care.