Right at Home Green Bay Partners With Hospice
After Providing Support and Care for Many Years, Hospice Joined Right at Home to Provide the Full Spectrum of Care
The Medicare Hospice agencies are a great compliment to the supportive living care that Right at Home provides, as they each do their very important part in the support and care of a patient.
Story of One of our clients:
Although Right at Home In Home Care and assistance had been taking care of Tommie for 5.5 years.
Hospice was recommended when she was physically failing and therapy was no longer an option. She had very little appetite, was getting weaker, needed oxygen, and had become incontinent. She was less social, and uninterested in conversation.
From Caregiver, Donna’s perspective and experience, regarding one particular client:
“I was always grateful when the Hospice nurse or CNA visited.
The Hospice nurse and CNA were always straight shooters, encouraging and answered any questions and concerns I may have. The nurse would ask about her pain, take her vitals, check for sores, and edema in her feet. She asked if anything was needed such as supplies or anything to make her more comfortable. She ordered a masseuse; they brought a wheelchair, an Inogen oxygen concentrator, pads, briefs, lotions, and bandages.”
Then one awful night she fell in the bathroom, when getting up to go to the bathroom at night and broke her hip. She was taken to the hospital.
The family continued to have scheduled visits of care going into the hospital and then once stabilized, into the nursing home/rehab with her because of the relationship and support that was built over time and the individualized attention that we bring. The Hospice RN also continued to follow her with care, instructing the nursing home/ rehab staff.
“Whenever I visited her she was either sleeping or very groggy from the meds.
On a groggy visit, she would ask, " Where am I?" I told her she was in the hospital because she fell and broke her hip. She did not remember falling. The look of pain, fear, and confusion in her eyes was heartbreaking to see.”
When providing care and support in the nursing home/rehab, some of the things that our one on one care provides are invaluable to our clients:
“When I arrived one morning she was in a wheelchair, looking cozy and comfortable and seemed a little more alert. The CNA said I could finish feeding her the breakfast smoothie. One small spoonful at a time until she finished.
When lunch was brought in I slowly spoon-fed that to her but now not much was getting in her. I tell her to open and swallow, but the food would just sit there or just run out at the corners of her mouth. I let staff know lunch didn't go over too well.
I asked the staff if it was ok to take her for a ride in the halls. The answer was, "Absolutely!" with a smile.
We stopped to watch the birds in the aviary and stopped by a staff member who had her little dog on her lap and we encouraged her to pet the dog. This brought a very frail smile.
The rest of the time we watched tv, listened to music, or talked all the while I held her hand. I sensed she took comfort in this. It did me as well.
On my next visit, the hospice nurse and son were in the room with her when I arrived. She was breathing even lighter, not eating at all anymore. The edema progressed to her hands and she felt colder. No response at all from her now. Son asked, "How long?" The hospice nurse said, "Anytime, could go on like this for another day or two it's hard to say."
After they all left. I pulled a chair up to her and held her hand again and while massaging it I talked of our memories, thanked her for teaching me her baking secrets. I smiled and prayed for her. I then remembered her favorite bible verse John 14:2:
In my father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you so. I am going there to prepare a place for you now. I took the Bible from the table drawer and read the entire chapter of John 14 to her.
The CNA came in to reposition and check on her. She asked, " Was she breathing this lightly earlier?" I said yes, she has been since I've been here. As she was moistening her lips I was watching her chest for breathing. I then noticed and told the CNA, "Oh no, did she just stop?"
She checked, agreed, and left to get the nurse. The hospice nurse came to verify she had passed. Then proceed to take out the IV, oxygen, and prep her for the family to see her.
I stayed until her son and daughter-in-law arrived. We talked awhile then I excused myself so they could have private time alone with there mother to grieve and call family members.”
Right at Home’s staff provide that one on one assistance, when family cannot be there. The real story above demonstrates a beautiful support by family, Right at Home and Woodside Nursing/ Rehab to provide individualized care and support to end of life.
