METHODIST FREMONT HEALTH HOME CARE

K

Kindred Volunteer

1) When signing up for hospice for my mom, it was specifically said and repeated that she was not to be "doped up" to the point that she was not coherent. * Within the first 9 days of being on hospice, she was so doped she wouldn't respond and couldn't stand-up. 2) My sister looked up a drug that hospice had put her on as we didn't know what it was (it was generic) and it was Thorazine. If I had been told that it was Thorazine, she would have never taken it. It is a HORRIBLE med with HORRIBLE side affects and I had told the assigned nurse that I didn't want my mom to be on it. 3) The nurse (not her assigned nurse) who came when I called about the change in mom's status did nothing other than take her vitals. She didn't ask questions about mom's meds, or if she had expressed any complaints prior to her status change, absolutely nothing. I told her that I was taking her off the Thorazine as she wasn't to be on it in the first place. The nurse rudely told me that I should reconsider having mom on hospice if I was just going to throw the drugs away. I told her I didn't throw them away, just took her off one that she wasn't suppose to be on in the first place. Her reply was, "It's the same thing!" This is the same nurse that was filling in for mom's assigned nurse and when she was told that she was impacted and needed to be evacuated, she just made a frowny face and did nothing. So my mom continued to be impacted for another 2 days till her assigned nurse came. She also ordered me to put our dogs away when hospice came, rather than asking if I would. 4) Mom's assigned nurse calls and asks how my mom is doing. I told her not well, that she had been doped up, that I took her off the Thorazine and now she is waking up and acting like a crazy lady and the nurse started giggling. I told her that it wasn't funny and asked why she neglected to tell me that the med that she added on was Thorazine? After going around and around with her, she stated with a raised voice that she wasn't the nurse for me and would have to send someone else to our home. Click. 5) My dad was on hospice 2 years ago with these people. They doped him up too. At the time I lived out of town and he was in a nursing home, so they got away with a lot. This time is different. I live with and care for mom 24/7. She will be home till the end. My sister and I talked about having them again even though we had problems last time. It had been 2 years, we made a complaint. Surely things have gotten better and with them already familiar with our family, it would be better this time...right? Wrong! 6) Now that I have sought out a new hospice service, I have so much more equipment than what the hospital's hospice provided. They cover more of mom's meds and provide a lot more supplies. Which is a huge financial help. The nurses are so nice and personable with mom and I. They ask, not order and they check with you before they do anything to make sure that you are ok with a change. 7) Rude and bossy nurses with attitudes who disrespect your wishes for your loved one. The only reliable, respectful and compassionate staff that Home Health Care/Hospice have is their social worker and chaplain. They were wonderful. 8) The Definition for Hospice is- Care designed to give supportive care to people in the final phase of a terminal illness and focus on comfort and quality of life, rather than cure. The goal is to enable patients to be comfortable and free of pain, so that they live each day as fully as possible.... In other words, not to dope them up to the point where they are no longer coherent, unable to walk, and eat or drink, and cause the caregiver more stress and work than what they had before bringing hospice into their home.