Re: Discontinuing Razadyne - Joan

[Guest guest]

HI Ann,

That is good that you didn't have to sign for only hospice doctors or hospice

meds...perhaps it is the location where you are, or maybe a different 'branch'

of hospice that deals more with the long term dementia type care...that's like

the best of both worlds...except about the Razadyne.

Oh Ann...sorry to hear about your dad not wanting to leave the house and also

his memory being shot, but hospice certainly helps you with the mobility

problems hampering him from travel to and from appointments. Mom's

hallucinations were controlled when she was in the Geriatric-Psychiatric Unit.

She was on Risperaol and Aricept, so it must have been those meds and she really

didn't hallucinate after she was on those drugs...but it was a short time due to

some other medical issue which actually caused her death.

So hospice for your dad is kind of like visiting nurses and doctors, and of

course emotional support for you, and pretty much he can still go to see the

other doctors anyway and if it weren't for the hospice doctor not wanting to

prescribe the Razadyne, he would be able to take all of his other meds. (makes

you wonder some times...the health insurance company is the one that usually

pays 100% of the hospice care...you could still take him to another doctor and

the insurance would still pay for it...so what is really the difference at the

end of the day?)

Mom's insurance paid for home health care for her...but it wasn't long until she

was on hospice...Mom had private health insurance and perhaps it was limitation

of what and when the insurance company would pay...also she was living with me

and didn't really have mobility problems and up to about three days before she

passed away she was still asking me a couple times a day to take her home...So,

she would get in the car, we would take the same route every time, adn then come

back home...she was happy that she was home...so cute...just a little drive and

then she was OK..but I took advantage of those times because we would sing and

play A my Name is and pray together on those drives...It was almost like a whole

different world...she was happy on the drives...not confused...and I guess it

was a little break for me, too.

Hospice was very good...they did send a social worker every couple times to talk

to me and my siblings that were there. And, the hospice we had (San Diego

County, CA) was really good...they said that I could call any time with

questions...well...I ALWAYS had questions...oh anything from a rash developing

because I put lotion on her dry skin, to her eyes being all runny, to going into

a coma and wanted someone to come check on her (guess I was scared that I didn't

know what to do, and I wanted to do everything just PERFECT for Mom.) They

brought the depends (diaper kind) the mouth swabs, the disposable cleaning

cloths, you name it they brought it, and all the meds that would be needed

during the process. I can't say enough about my hospice experience. Today I am

filling out an application to be a hospice volunteer here in the Las Vegas, NV

area. I want to be able to help those in hospice whether just a little visit to

read to them, write a letter for them, or just to talk and make they know that

they are special, and that I care about them and want to provide them any

emotional support that they may need.

Ann, please keep posting so that I know how you and your dad are doing.

Joan