How do you know when your LO is ready for hospice? What are the criteria?

How long can a patient stay in hopsice? Is there a time limit?

I said this on another thread, but I'll say it here as well because I think it is important. My brother's FIL was a very difficult patient and extremely resistant to assisted living situations and medical care in general. Hospice was the only place/kind of care he EVER liked. That's saying a lot. I don't think it is something to be avoided, I think it is very nurturing care in general.

Thanks in advance for any information you may have out there about how hospice works and when it can be initiated.

Could you do a search of past posts on this topic as much has been written? (There's a search button at the top of the page.)

This is the best post I found using the search feature that answers basic questions about hospice:

http://community.lbda.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1922&highlight=hospice

Scientist, I happened to come across a great 3-page thread on hospice and other care that occurred in the "Symptoms & Diagnosis" area on Feb. 21 '09 at 11:40 pm. The person who started the topic is Pauline Boone.

I don't know why it didn't come up with a search. Have a better New Year. Annie

In my case I was planning to bring Mom home from an assisted living facility to live with me. Her primary care doctor recommended a hospice eval because I was requesting a hospital bed. He recommended an evaluation just to find out where she was. We didn't expect her to qualify for hospice but she did.

It was just after Christmas of 2008. Mom started a rapid decline and did not get out of bed after Christmas Eve. I decided it was time for the evaluation. They came out Jan. 7, 2009. They took a history.... Mom was on her best behavior, they got her out of bed and had her sit in her wheelchair. It was a few hours in when the nurse heard Mom ask where the baby was as she heard one crying.(no babies in the house) She told me that she did not qualify under dementia criteria but could get her in under dibilitating decline. She had lost controll of her bladder(for years) but had not had many bowel control problems at this point in time. She had 9 out of 10 ( I think) of the factors to qualify for hospice under dementia but not the lack of bowel controll which qualified her under dementia. It didnt matter how they qualified her. I got support for bathing and at this point they try to keep the patient comfortable. She died Feb.8th 2009. From Christmas to Feb. 8 was like a rollar coaster. Her symptoms progressed so fast I couldnt keep up. We managed. Turning her every two hours, meds, changing her diaper etc. My husband saw parts of my mom he never thought or wanted to see. He was FABULOUS and all of this brought us closer. We never thought we could or would do it. We were blessed and I wouldn't change a thing! Good luck to you
Sharon10

When hospice first came out I was told they may come and go.(although) they stayed). They are not as strick with the 6 month policy typical. For dementia they can be more flexible as they understand it is not clear cut when end of life will come.
Sharon10