Hello,
Has anyone had better or worse experience with non profit vs. for profit hospice providers? I'm thinking of changing providers for my mom.
I am dealing with a very difficult*patient* with a mix of conditions including vascular dementia. Today, for the second time, I asked a specific nurse to please change moms bandages and measure the wounds for me, as I really didn't have time or the steam. (I'm homeschooling my daughter and trying to work).
Anyway, about 2 hours after nurse leaves, I come down from my office. Then mom informs me the nurse told her she left the bandage changes for me. This is also the same nurse who told me she didn't *do* suppositories, but she would happily call it in for me to do!
I think my mother may need more care than what liberty hospice can, or is prepared to provide. I've also discovered they are a for profit, they have 3 nurses to handle THE largest county (and senior population) in the state. I'm thinking this particular nurse may just be lazy, but I can't have a lazy hospice nurse! She claimed mom was just in way too much pain for her to take off the bandages. I think that was an excuse. She has pain meds they could have administered if she was *so* miserable- I thought if the pt. was having uncontrollable pain, they were supposed to Medicare, then stay and make sure pt. is comfortable before leaving? Not run like hell! Right? Also, isn't a doctor supposed to show up from time to time? It's been since December, 2022 she's been in hospice and I haven't seen an MD, FNPC, PA DO, Nothing! Also, aren't the physicians supposed to visit? At least for recert? Only RN 1-2x, CNA 1x and Aide 3x per week. Aide gives bath and leaves, CNA does Bp and leaves. RN asks have you had a BM, checks oxygen, asks if I need supplies, then leaves. They are inside my house MAX 15 minutes. I've timed them.
I've done this caregiver thing for mom alone for 6, almost 7 years alone for the most part, from lung cancer, metastasis to the brain, craniotomies, strokes, brain swelling, arterial bypasses, wound packing etc. I don't get paid, but by grannies, this hospice does and well, and now, it seems that as care is starting to get harder/ more involved, they seem to be flaking out on me. I need help now more than ever. I have to have dependable people.
You can switch providers at any point in time even if there isn’t a problem.
We switched providers for my mom because she was close to a particular nurse. The nurse was very fond of my mother.
The nurse decided to work for another hospice organization and told us that if we wanted to continue having her as mom’s nurse that we could switch to the organization that she was moving to.
We looked into the care of the other hospice organization and decided to switch so that my mom could continue having wonderful care from her nurse.
Don’t hesitate to switch to a different hospice provider. Do research and find a suitable replacement.
Best wishes to you and your family.
yes you can and should change hospice care. They are not all the same. Be sure to tell them WHY when u fire them.
Between my two parents, I dealt with three hospice agencies. The first was Vitas, a huge nationwide company, and they were terrible. After I fired them for several of the same issues you're having, I hired a small, local agency that was also for-profit, but family-owned. They were great. So, too, was the for-profit company I used for my mom.
I recommend checking Yelp.com for reviews of hospice agencies near you and also contacting a local nursing home to ask who they use the most. Those are the ways I got the two good companies I hired. My dad's insurance company (Kaiser 🙄) is the one that stuck us with Vitas.
I would file a complaint with Medicare about the neglect by the current hospice.
The hospice agency we had for my late husband did have a nurse practitioner come out to the house about every 3-6 months, otherwise it was just the nurse once a week to start and aides twice a week to bathe.
But hospice nurses are supposed to do wound care and if needed they can put a suppository in your moms butt as well. The hospice we used was a non-profit one, but because my husband was under their care for 22 months, I had to stay on top of them constantly, as they weren't used to someone living under their care that long.
You must remember though that even with hospice on board you will still be responsible for 99% of your moms care, as a nurse coming once or twice a week to check vitals and aides to bathe her a few times a week, really isn't much in the big picture of things.
I had to hire an aide to come in the mornings to put my husband on the bedside commode so he could poop. Otherwise I did everything else myself.
I would also recommend that you are present(as in the same room)when any of the hospice workers come to your house. That way you can make sure that things are getting done properly. No more staying upstairs and coming down 2 hours after they leave. If you're there, you'll be able to make sure things are being done that need to be.
Again, whether profit or non-profit, you still have to stay on top of them to make sure moms receiving the best care possible.
I wish you and your mom the very best.
I am not sure if I will seek out a support group but if I did I would prefer one that wasn't online. I did one when my father passed away in 2010. His end came on faster and I felt bereft. My mother's health has been declining for some time. While I knew the end was approaching there are still difficult moments I have to talk myself through.
I am just offering this as an example of a positive hospice experience. The hospice nurse my mother had was truly wonderful and a great communicator. I hope you find one that brings comfort all around
.
Much may depend on finances as Hospice doesn't cost anything to the client.
And, a person doesn't need to be dying to qualify for Hospice.
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