My beautiful wife of 45 years passed March 1st 2023. Cancer spread quickly throughout and our saving grace was the hospice care she received here in Tampa Bay, Florida. I just want to say thank you to the several caregivers that stayed at the house for the last several weeks as she transitioned to join our savior. They all were absolutely amazing and helped myself and her boys thru the last days. I am eternally grateful for them and those such as yourself. Keep making these great videos. I continue to view even though my current need is no more. Thank you and bless all of you currently strolling down this trail.
Hi julie , I have a rare thyroid cancer stage 4 , I was asked if I wanted to go to my local hospice. Focus on living centre. They do all kinds of things from , relaxation, exercise, rakie, talking about feelings , preparing you for the end of life . There is a chapel if you want to go .Doctors and nurses you can talk to . At first I was very reluctant. Thinking it's where you go to die .I was talked around .iv been going for over 5 years .originally I was given two years life expectancy. Still going strong .iv met a lot of lovely friends .friends you can talk to in same position as you .the hospice is a happy place . Iv lost a few friends iv met there. We celebrated there life and not focused on death. This has made a massive difference to my quality of life. Thank you for talking about hospice and end of life .x
As a nurse, I’ve heard other nurses say “Hospice killed him”. Ignorance of Hospice even in the nursing field. Julie, you are doing a public service that is much needed. ❤️
my husband passed Thanksgiving evening 2020, he went in a week before. He only had 17 inches of bowel after having multiple resections during the previous 5 yrs from Crohns disease and a blood clotting disease. A year and a half prior to his passing he was in for a Ostomy reversal that didn't go well. At that time pallative care was discussed but we decided to fight on, after 6 months in long term hospital he came home. We were in the process of evaluation for a intestinal transplant, but the doctor backed out fearing heart issues. Getting the word to come back to the hospital at midnight to discuss hospice was the hardest night I had had up to then. Admitting him to hospice then became my hardest. I have learned so much thru you Julie since coming across your channel and thank you so much. RIP Christopher Fowler
My wife of 35 years (partner for 47) died as an inpatient Hospice care, after doing everything I could do at home as a caregiver. They were wonderful, by any definition. She was treated with such dignity and love. I will be forever grateful.
i am a 72 year old vietnam veteran! i got live and get old. I am comfortable knowing i will die some day. I have the priviledge of living a long life. some of my fellow soldiers never made it home and never got to live a full life!! Thank you for your great videos!!
My mom was on hospice for almost 2 years because of stage 4 lymphoma. She ended up being taken off hospice and she is still living. It's been 4 years ago now
My mom has only days to live. Ms. Julie, I found you in my YT feed and started watching. You have given me comfort and knowledge to be able to cope with my upcoming loss. I'm now more comfortable and less fearful and more at peace with the stages I'm seeing her go through. She is on Hospice and they are wonderful caring and helpful people. Thank you so very much for what you do and sharing your knowledge, it's been a tremendous help.
My sincerest condolences to you on your mum, my mum died the 29th May, everyday is so very hard. Hospice Julie as you said helped understanding of the process.
I’m a retired firefighter paramedic, and now EMS educator and deputy coroner. I LOVE your channel. In my career I’ve experienced a lot of good hospice programs and a few poor ones (like ALL services). Thank you.
My mom went on and off hospice so we could still treat her for new, short-term issues like infections and take her to the emergency room when necessary. During covid, we would switch out siblings so we each could spent time with her in the ER. She had advancing dementia and truly needed an advocate to provide information to the healthcare staff. Hospice did a great job.
Julie, thank you for your time and service in educating people about this opportunity in health care. I have been in nursing since 1979, got my RN in 1983 in Texas and have worked almost all areas from Oncology to Newborn Nursery and NICU. I also did home health and after retirement from full-time nursing in 2017 worked part time in a rehabilitation/skilled nursing facility. People need ro speak with their loved ones early on as to what that individual wants, especially if they have a chronic, degenerative, or terminal illness. While both of my parents died long before hospice became a standard in end of life care, my parents-in-law were given marvelous end of life care in Katy,Texas. P.S. Anyone who thinks that any aspect of health care makes big bucks off of Medicare is sorely mistaken.
We had a bad experience with Hospice when my mother-in-law died. She had terminal COPD and went directly from her last hospitalization to the Hospice center. That morning she ate a sandwich and was alert, talking and laughing. We were told that she would be allowed to remain alert and would be fed at the Hospice center. She had been on a low dose of morphine for months for symptom management and before she was transported to the Hospice center, she was given a larger dose to keep her comfortable during the ride. It knocked her out. Once she got to the center, they continued to give her larger doses of morphine than she was accustomed to, and told us they would keep her unconscious and not allow her to wake up or eat. I’m sure that was in their minds keeping her comfortable but we would have preferred she be at the same level of alertness as she had been before leaving the hospital, so she could respond to loved ones saying their goodbyes. My sister-in-law brought her home 1.5 days later but it was too late and she never regained consciousness, dying 2 days later. At all times the family made their wishes clear and were not listened to. That is not how my mother-in-law would have preferred to spend her last 4 days and if we had it to do over, we would not have sent her to the Hospice center. The Hospice nurse who came to her home during the last 4 days was amazing however. I’m sure many people have had great experiences, ours was not.
My sister passed away of cirrhosis after being in hospice care for only 4 days but she had already stopped eating. She received excellent care in that 4 days. My mother has MS and has been in hospice care in our home for over a year. MS kills very slowly and thanks to her hospice care team she has been able to be comfortable in a home environment among her family and things and my husband and I aren’t lost and still watching RUclips videos to learn how to totally care for her ourselves. Even having someone come bathe her twice a week has been a godsend!! Thank you!!
Hi Nurse Julie, So glad I found you in March. My FIL is 99 and went on hospice in March. I had no experience with hospice and watching your videos has given me guidance and peace of mind. I am sure my FIL is in good hands with his hospice team. He is still mentally sharp but became totally bed bound after a fall in February. He will be 100 in a few weeks. I love being educated on all the misconceptions I previously had about hospice. Thank you for all you do. ❤ I am a fan and look forward to your videos. My FIL has advanced Parkinsons which contributed to his fall. He was and is stubborn, very independent...was still working daily and living with limited assistance up until his fall.
When my second wife was dying, hospice was my rescue. I had been struggling for months taking care of her, and when hospice came in everything became easier and more do-able. I can't speak more highly of nurses in general, and hospice nurses in particular.
Good stuff Julie! I am a Hospice Care Consultant for Compassus Hospice here in Milwaukee and half my day is spent educating patients, families, AND healthcare professionals on the myths you just spoke on. Thank You!
Thank you Julie! My father in law died of CHF but also had kidney failure and COPD and it took 3 hospital stays to convince him to agree to hospice. By the time he got it, it was too late. He died right after the admission nurse left. He suffered at the end and I hate that he kept refusing hospice
When my dad started showing signs of dementia, his Dr recommended we put him in hospice. I was confused, because he was not "dying" at the time. The Dr said he could write him up with a condition called "failure to thrive". This allowed him to get in-home hospice care (help with his meds, bathing etc). I can't recall how long this lasted, but it was a fairly long time until he actually ended up going into the hospice wing of the hospital after a fall. When this started, we were actively looking at assisted care homes for him since we both worked and he could not be left alone for long days.
Failure to thrive is a condition that qualifies you for hospice? My father in law passed in October but he was "diagnosed" as failure to thrive months before he passed
@@ssjess2504 This was probably 10 years ago. Maybe things have changed. I think the hospice "business" has changed, but I don't know. All I know it was a blessing to get that help at that time.
@@rebeccacarlson9166 the doctors tried to convince him it was time for hospice but he kept refusing even though he was so tired of going to hospitals. After his last hospital stay where he was on a ventilator, the doctor got him just stable enough to go home on hospice and he passed the day he came home, only an hour after the hospice nurse admitted him
Julie, not sure how I stumbled on you but so glad I did! I'm an 'old school' RN. Worked in Med Surg, ER for years, taught a little, did home care for years and now work as a Care Manager for a Family Practice. Thank you so much for spreading the word about death and dying. In many instances, I have tried to explain why getting on Hospice sooner as opposed to later would be more beneficial to all involved...folks are afraid of what they don't know. You are certainly helping to educate us all on what one of my sons said he was thankful for the night my mother died; "the Circle Of Life" (he was 8 at the time). Keep up the good work
Thank you for the education you provide. My mom has often talked about how my grandfather at the end of his life was given morphine right before he died, and she thought the nurse gave him too much morphine and that’s what killed him. She didn’t have bad feelings towards the nurse but it’s what she always believed. Watching your videos and thinking about how she described the scenario I suspect it’s more that they gave him morphine as comfort care at a time when he was actively dying and she misunderstood what was happening. It was all very traumatic for her, as one might expect, so I can understand why she holds on to that belief. It can be easier to place blame rather than accept the painful truth. Thank you for educating us about death and dying so I don’t have to carry the burden of my mom’s belief with me.
Hey Julie this was excellent as usual :) I had a conversation with a neighbor when my mother chose Hospice care, and she had the impression that hospice encourages people to give up and die. She had seen a news story or documentary about it but her recollection was vague. I suggested she'd heard a discussion about Death With Dignity which might be medically assisted suicide but that Hospice provides palliative care according to the patient's wishes. You've mentioned it in a previous video but a more detailed discussion might make another good video. Also, another great topic might be to describe in detail, the intake process. Starting from the doctor's prognosis to the initial consultation with Hospice Nurse and Social Worker. I think people's fear of Hospice is basically fear of dying, so knowing more about how detailed the initial consultations are about what to do in a medical crisis between nurse visits (such as call 911 or call nurse ) decision making and planning for purchasing supplies and hospital bed, etc. and scheduling of visits and how meds are managed, etc could be helpful.
Great Site. I recently lost a younger brother to cancer. Hospice nurse came in and was very helpful. He was lucid enough to dictate his dying wishes to hospital staff. I am in late seventies and have had lawyer write up a living will, something I haven't heard you talk about. Can you please address that... Thanks for all you do for everyone
Yes! It's so important for every aging individual to write a living will. Most states offer a boiler plate document that covers things like medical interventions but families should talk about all the possible decisions that might need to be made and it comforted my sisters and I that we knew exactly what my mother would want when she declined due to dementia.
Hi Julie! I have two questions :) What is the difference between hospice and palliative care? (I’m 26, on palliative care) Secondly, is there a difference between how you treat elderly patients, versus younger patients, or even children? Is there additional support for young people and their caregivers? Thank you so much for your videos, you are truly changing the way we talk about death and dying, which as a terminally ill young person, I try to do all the time!
Excellent!! Very clear and straightforward. I am a retired non-medical professional and have experienced hospice twice with two of my eight siblings. I am so grateful we had hospice available, and that it will be there for me and my family when needed (I have CKD4). Some of the questions we had from our experiences: How do you get on hospice? How often and when do they come? What if there’s not a home for the patient to go to? Does hospice include any kind of time to give the caretaker a break? REALLY appreciate what you’re doing! God bless. (BTW, mother had a friend on hospice 10 years.)
Where I live they absolutely do have Respite Programs for Caregivers. Ask your Hospice people about it. They’re very cognizant of the burden on caregivers and have programs to help you.
Hospice is such a gift and a blessing. My husband benefited greatly from it as he was dying and my mother has been on it for six months now and is doing great. The support, and , as life ends, the medications are so helpful. I have had cancer and treatment myself and if my cancer returns, I do not plan to subject myself to treatment a second time. My quality of life matters more than how long I live. I plan to enter hospice in plenty of time to enjoy my last months with friends and family.
My mom died of cancer about 25 or so years ago the hospice nurse she h ad was absolutely wonderful I was there and the hospice nurse was there too I can't say enough good things about hospice nurses.thank you for all you do
I was a hospice care volunteer for 3 years. I did this because I believe we in the US have forgotten how to die properly. People die in soulless cold hospitals, with no warmth or care.People are left to die plugged with with tubes and machines in the most unnatural way. Hospice is calm and the people who work their accept death as natural and potentially "beautiful".
Thank you Julie for your videos they have helped me so much since my Dad passed this Easter. He went on hospice and past a day and half later . Seeing your videos enlightens me because part of my is like maybe he should’ve been on hospice way sooner for his pain and CHF. I didn’t know you could go on it for things like that and come off if need be. I think he was buying pain meds because his physicians would not give him what he needed for fear of abuse because of his pst history with over taking his meds and falling . They cut him off which was criminal. ❤️🙏🏻
My husband had early-onset Alzheimer's. He was diagnosed in 1998. In 2014 we found out he had liver bile duct colon cancer. Stage 4 . By some incredible grace of God he did not experience a lot of pain. Doctors felt it was the Alzheimer's somehow blocking the pain. When they told me he was finished and going to die.. they were going to start him on hospice. Hey we're going to stop food water erc. Obviously he couldn't process it. I asked them are you going to drug him so that he is sedated. I was told no. " If he dies ( as s a result of sedation you can sue us for causing him to die sooner". I was dumbfounded. Teddy was the iron horse. During the discussion I kept saying.. he's dying.. he has advanced Alzheimer's he's United States Marine.. you're not going to drug him but you're going to starve him to death you're not going to give him any fluids.. you're going to have to tie him to the bed. But sedating him is against the law. I pushed for a colostomy. He lived another seven years. The last week was a horror show. Bile coming out of his nose, mouth. BUT.. if we him knocked out ( sedated him unconscious) . Thats murder? When we first found out he had Alzheimer's he told me to give him a gun could have been a field and walk away. I lie awake at night beating myself up that I did not do that for him. We are kind your chore animals than we are to our family. The laws have got to catch up. Terminally ill patients should be given the option to end their lives on their own terms. Families have to be given the right to speak for them. I have post-traumatic stress from watching Teddy died his last month on hospice. We did hospice in my house. But still I had to watch him gag, choke, scratching at me the walls because I couldn't put him in a coma or sedate him unconscious.
My 55-year old husband passed February 14, 2023. He had bile duct cancer that was found in his old liver after he had a liver transplant last year. It had spread too much, too fast, and by the time he began to consider hospice it was too late. He stopped palliative chemo on that Friday, signed paperwork to initiate hospice, but was gone by the following Tuesday. If we had had any clue... hospice would have occurred much sooner. Thank you for this video. It will at least help me understand better in the future.
Everything I’ve ever heard about hospice has been highly positive. My social worker colleagues and a music therapist colleague describe it in glowing terms. Also, my father died in hospice in 2016 and it was a beautiful experience. Though I’m in ok health at the moment (age 66), I hope that my final days are spent in hospice care. Thanks for what you do, Julie.
Thank you so much for posting this. My mom struggled with the decision to go on Hospice and ended up waiting too long. This video would have been soooo helpful.
I get the basic principles of hospice, but I saw a good elderly friend go into hospice. They stopped her heart meds, food and water. She died in two days...that did not sit well with me and I struggle with that four years later. Can you help me to understand/make sense of this? RIP, Gunny. I miss you
My FIL lasted for over 9 mos. I thought they would toss him off at one point as we did have him at home.. But they were wonderful. He did die in a nursing home after 2 weeks.
When my dad was dying from lung cancer, he went went on Hospice approximately 2 months before he died. I was having to travel 300 miles back and forth and I was so thankful for Hospice for those times I had to go back home for a few days. They were there at the very end and they were so sweet and kind to him and me. The only question I asked after he died was why did they have to open full unopened bottles of morphine and dump it. I had to witness for them and I asked them why can't another patient have it? I can't remember what they said, but that's not surprising since I just watched my dad die. RIP Dad❤
I have congestive heart failure I have been watching your videos and they actually have helped me understand better still a little scared only because I feel have so much more that I got to make up for it hurts me the most not being there for my daughter and son -in-law and my little sweetheart 4 year old grandson ❤that has special needs I know my days are numbered but that is what hurts me the most not doing enough for my kids 🖤
My husband has Alzheimer's and was put into Hospice, we were told that he would be taken off all his current medications. I absolutely refused to take him off his heart medications, blood thinners, etc. He has been in hospice for almost 6 months. He is still eating well, drinking fluids well and still able to walk with minor assistance. I am in the process of removing him from hospice and placing him on palliative care.
They don’t always make money honestly. Investigations have found companies cheating Medicare by claiming for care that was not given or for providing unreasonable care. There are even sham companies who don’t even have patients at all. The Medicare oversight department (CMS) does not have the resources to discover it and prevent it.
Hi Julie, Thank you for the helpful information. Do you have some tips on helping or comforting someone with pulmonary fibrosis? Or severe respiratory complications. Not being able to get enough oxygen from the lungs What will it be like for the patient? And what do terminally ill patient usually want from their loved ones? Thanks again,
Hey Julie. My mom was put on hospic when she lost so much weight.We loved one of her nurses ,she gotten mom up to a weight.Reason she was put on hospic was cause one of her doctor told us mom throat was closing up and food was not going to the right place in her body.What I didn't hear was that if you have to have testes done like exray,CT scan you have to come off of hospic first,then after the tests go back on.Plus the hospic doctor only comes to see the patients only 60 days or they do a video call to the nurse.My mom is not doing better but the doctor said she is.Now seeing her prime doctor which put her on palliative care ,which we don't like.So could you talk about the difference between hospic and palliative care?
this is so true..i had a friend who had lung cancer, spread to her liver, she went into hospice for a week, they thought she was going to pass soon..she did not, and she wanted to go home..10 months later, hospice came in, she was ready to die, but she was complaining she was so uncomfortable, i do not know why..hospice does all they can to keep the patience comfortable, so she wanted to go to the hospital and ended up passing away in the back of the ambulance..i never heard of such a thing, bless her heart..she died at 53..too young, i miss her so much..RIP LYNN🙏🙏
I have a friend who has suffered with heart disease for many years. He told me once that he wasn't afraid of dying he just didn't want it to hurt. I can relate to that. Maybe that's one of the missions of Hospice?
one of the beauties of hospice is, when our elderly start failing, I've seen doctors offices endlessly pursue "tests", appointments and all types of "medical needs". Hospice allows our elders to simply rest. No pursuing well-ness checkups, no going every 3 months to renew b/p meds. It's exhausting for the elderly, it's exhausting for the families who have to get them up, dressed and into the car and so forth. Being on hospice brings calm and peace to our loved ones, and allows them time with the family and friends and things they wish to do.
Of course Hospice makes money! Should be no apologies for that; without making money for the organization, the organization can’t exist. Great information for most people about the most compassionate side of healthcare. ❤
My dear Mother was deprived of both food and water. Memorial day she had a stroke, we were told we could not take to hospital and no one was available to come to home because of holiday. She lay in her bed in a fetal position till Tuesday and holiday was over
I agree. I was offered palliative care (UK) at the local hospice in November 2022 because I have suspected lung cancer with a heart problem. I thought I was being written off, but that is not true. End of life care is only 5% of their work. Their major work is in the care of patients with long term health issues and helping to make the end 'years' more bearable.
My dad died of Pancreatic cancer from diagnosis to death was 7 days. My dad never had jaundice and he didn't loss weight. He did have pain but doctor said it was intergestion and didn't have a ct scan until 2 weeks before he died which was they found cancer in the liver. Had a biopsy and found it had started in the pancreas. By then it was to late to treat.
My mother has terminal cancer. I have been considering in-home hospice but, the couple of people I know who did in-home hospice for their loved one told me was a horrible experience because the nurse just did not care, was not helpful etc... how do I choose a good in-home hospice agency?
I never knew Hospice were companies-I was thought they were part of the hospital. Of course I learned that at the time I wish I would’ve been more educated. It was one of those experiences that I had to learn something. I never want to learn. Thanks for everything you do.
Ok, so when my mom got cancer, we put her in Hospice. They pumped her full of morphine. She begged us to make them stop. We literally took her out of there after one week. They said she was days away from death. Well, my mom lived for 22 more months. They were killing her 😢 so you see, Some places don't care. They're not all like you. You are kind and compassionate. Thank God for people like you 😊
I wonder if the difference in quality of care is between independent hospice organizations vs. hospital based (for profit corporations). Julie's phrase "hospice does make money" is a little misleading. "Making money" is not the mission of independent hospice, but they do have to have revenue to cover expenses. "Making a profit" is the mission of hospitals which always seems to compromise quality.
Had a somewhat similar experience when my dad went into hospice. Insisted they stop the high levels of morphine that had him in a zombie-like state. He transitioned at his own pace and my sisters and I made sure at least one of us was always there until he passed. God help those poor people who had no family member there to ensure they were not rushed out of this world.
@James Johnson investigation doesn't always reveal what goes on before you get there. In my experience you must have a family member or caregiver there round the clock.
I wish you could have explained hospice to my parents when my mom passed in 1999 from COPD and lung cancer. They thought she would have to stop all treatments including her thyroid meds and heart meds. I am a retired RN and I tried to clear up the misconception but they still did not want hospice. Mom died a month later in the hospital of a post obstructive pneumonia on a morphine drip. When my dad died in 2013 he went on hospice.
Here in the UK, going along with the knowledge that not all people in hospice die very soon, it's not uncommon for people with cancer to go to hospice, even if they're expected to get through it. It's viewed more holistically here & used for emotional & spiritual support, as well as things like respite care. Cancer does qualify people for hospice here because of the effects of cancer & treatment on people. They can be on chemo with the hope or even expectation of survival, & on hospice. It's also because of the expertise of hospice in dealing with the medical side of things in a more supportive, less intimidating setting compared to hospitals.
Can you pls explain how to begin hospice. My sister was dying and her sons did not want to pay for a hospital bed. I explained to them that they call the dr explain the situation and the dr will arrange for everything. I feel like they waited too long for hospice
Well my brother started hospice and he was eating and going to the bathroom by his self as soon as he started the medication they gave him he was never able to get out of bed or speak again then they stopped all meds
@HospiceNurseJulie, I subscribed to your channel after listening to your videos & as someone who "FLUNKED" home hospice after a Dx with stage 4b metastatic squamous cell carcnimona of the cervix , I can TRULY confirm that not all people who go into hospice go onto die. My best friend's papa went into and came out of hospice 4 times before he finally left the planet. Heck, I didn't even know I was in hospice for 5 years when I was cleaning out some paperwork...5 BLOODY YEARS! 🤣🤣 I had to keep staring at the paperwork as I laughed my kneecaps off. I asked my Bae of almost 23 years if he knew this. THE LOOK ON HIS FACE😲 when I showed him the paperwork, 😲 I asked my I knew that I wasn't supposed to leave Hospital alive, then I was supposed to be gone in 6 weeks... NOT ONLY am I NOT in hospice or in treatment, I have NO EVIDENCE of cancer ANYWHERE in my body. I am now trying my best to survive systemic Sarcoidosis but I view it as a challenge. Continue the great work, Julie, MORE people need to hear what you're teaching so they're not terrified of entering should they need the services...BRAVA. Julia!
My wife will be 65 yo October 10th. We get no help from Medicare. The first hospice we looked at was dreary and $12k per month. The second one we looked at is only $8.4k per month. She has been there almost 2 weeks. I make about 63k per year. I fall apart daily and reassemble myself daily
Question: Do you know about, or work with laws like the New Jersey Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID)? When my wife went on Hospice in her 5th year of Pancreatic cancer, she passed peacefully, pain free, and with family around her. She began the MAID process but passed quickly. My dear friend has ALS and will make his first oral request for MAID early, in case his speech becomes limited. My every experience with hospice has been better than I could have ever hoped. Your frank and honest discussions have truly sustained my quest for understanding.
My Mama was on hospice less than 24 hours. They brought her by ambulance to the nursing home, I got all the paperwork done and hospice set up that afternoon and the next morning I got a call that she wasn't swallowing the morphine. I went there & she was nonresponsive, she died just after noon. It was that quick.
@@pegs1659 Yes my Daddy had Methadone and seemed to work fine for him but it was in his IV. My Mama I guess was in the Rally because the day she came down by ambulance to the nursing home and got set up for hospice she was talking to everyone and telling the Dr. how happy she was to be back in her hometown and wanting to know all the nurses names. I didn't know about the Rally at that time. She asked me to spend the night with her and I told her that the staff was working on getting me a cot-like bed so I could stay with her some nights but they hadn't got it set up yet but I promised her I would stay the night with her when I got a bed. I feel so bad now because that was her LAST night alive and her final request for me. I'd have brought a sleeping bag and slept on the floor if I'd have known. Her last words to me were "Well I wish you would stay.". 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
I have been diagnosed with early stage 2 breast cancer. I have opted to do nothing. I am not afraid of dying I am afraid of pain...can you speak to pain management. I
(sigh 😔) my boyfriend had AML. He'd had a bone marrow transplant two years ago, but relapsed a year+ later. When he told his hematologist he was trying CBD oil, he was told he would no longer receive blood and platelets and needed to be given to patients who responded to the treatment. The last 2 weeks of his life he was hospitalized with severe shortness of breath. They found he had sickle cell anemia. He wanted palliative care, they insisted on hospice. When he refused, they stopped his chemo pill and no blood and platelets. Nothing was done about the sickle cell. He told them he was not giving up on surviving. He was waiting to hear back from Duke about three clinical trials aimed at relapsed AML. As he quickly got weaker, he gave into hospice care in the hospital. They gave him his chemo pill back, after 5 days off of it, and sent him home that Monday with Morphine and oxygen. He had trouble breathing and wasn't eating. He died three days later. He didn't live long enough to get home hospice. He died at home restless and didn't recognize anyone. He suffered, Julie. I worked in a hospice, and I know that curative treatments are not given. As I said, he wanted palliative care. He wasn't given that choice. And I still cannot reconcile myself that what was done was right. Our life together was taken away. I feel he was prepped to die and he didn't have to. He was only 61 and still a damn strong man. We would have done as many clinicals as we had to till we found the one that would put him in permanent remission. We would've still been humbly grateful for each additional day God could give us as we always have been.
Love your channel but I find the repetitive sound track REALLY hard to take after a few minutes. So I have to stop. Could you consider something different?
My mom was on home hospice for adenocarcinoma in both lungs and COPD from Smoking for over 50 years. She was on chemo and did well with it for a long time and then went on home hospice and was on it for over a year and a half before she had an incident that required heavy pain meds. Arguing with the hospice facility social worker I found out all the "EXTRA" health insurance was never necessary from the time she started chemo and wasted over $300 a month they kept taking out of her bank account even though they knew she had passed. Please please please check and make sure you are not wasting money on insurance that will not help but just take take take.
What’s the difference in for profit and not for profit in terms of how those monies are spent? How do each of those types of companies spend that money?
Tyvm this is very informative 🙂🙂. ? For you though..do friends and family ever come to you and say they are scared to talk to the person?! I'm scared to talk to my friend whose on hospice right now..can't go in there without breaking down. Don't know what to say. Please help me ty
~85% of human behavior is non-verbal. What’s so awful about “breaking down?” This is someone you love and a hug, hand squeeze, kiss on the cheek AND tears etc. are having a conversation. That’s all you need to “say,” the authentic you.
So I have a bad heart and a pacemaker but if I was on hospice for my terminal cancer why would I still want to have my cardiologist try to entend my life,? I'd rather have them deactivate my pacemaker, but would they?
Julie, how quick is the response by hospice workers when the patient may need more pain or agitation control. I’ve heard stories where they come only a few times a week. Is that true?
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👏👏👏👏 such important info. You're the best, HNJ ❤❤
Thaaank you!!
@@johnwilson3321 desperate
@@hospicenursejulie you ARE SO Cute!
My beautiful wife of 45 years passed March 1st 2023. Cancer spread quickly throughout and our saving grace was the hospice care she received here in Tampa Bay, Florida. I just want to say thank you to the several caregivers that stayed at the house for the last several weeks as she transitioned to join our savior. They all were absolutely amazing and helped myself and her boys thru the last days. I am eternally grateful for them and those such as yourself. Keep making these great videos. I continue to view even though my current need is no more. Thank you and bless all of you currently strolling down this trail.
So sorry for your loss 🙏
I’m sorry for your loss. Sending a very heartfelt hug. Michelle 🦋🌹
Blessings to you 🌟
You have my condolences!
Sorry for your loss..it's hard and will be for a while 😢..time does NOT heal all wounds
Hi julie , I have a rare thyroid cancer stage 4 , I was asked if I wanted to go to my local hospice. Focus on living centre. They do all kinds of things from , relaxation, exercise, rakie, talking about feelings , preparing you for the end of life . There is a chapel if you want to go .Doctors and nurses you can talk to . At first I was very reluctant. Thinking it's where you go to die .I was talked around .iv been going for over 5 years .originally I was given two years life expectancy. Still going strong .iv met a lot of lovely friends .friends you can talk to in same position as you .the hospice is a happy place . Iv lost a few friends iv met there. We celebrated there life and not focused on death. This has made a massive difference to my quality of life. Thank you for talking about hospice and end of life .x
My husband just went into Hospice today . Both heart and kidney failure and he stopped dialysis Monday. Kindest people took care of us today.
As a nurse, I’ve heard other nurses say “Hospice killed him”. Ignorance of Hospice even in the nursing field.
Julie, you are doing a public service that is much needed. ❤️
my husband passed Thanksgiving evening 2020, he went in a week before. He only had 17 inches of bowel after having multiple resections during the previous 5 yrs from Crohns disease and a blood clotting disease. A year and a half prior to his passing he was in for a Ostomy reversal that didn't go well. At that time pallative care was discussed but we decided to fight on, after 6 months in long term hospital he came home. We were in the process of evaluation for a intestinal transplant, but the doctor backed out fearing heart issues. Getting the word to come back to the hospital at midnight to discuss hospice was the hardest night I had had up to then. Admitting him to hospice then became my hardest. I have learned so much thru you Julie since coming across your channel and thank you so much. RIP Christopher Fowler
Sending you love- thank you for being here and THERE 💗💗💗💗
My Mom passed yesterday 4/19/2024. I would not have been able to handle the situation without your videos. THANK YOU! God bless.
So sorry for your loss!😥
🙏 prayers for you and your family
My wife of 35 years (partner for 47) died as an inpatient Hospice care, after doing everything I could do at home as a caregiver. They were wonderful, by any definition. She was treated with such dignity and love. I will be forever grateful.
i am a 72 year old vietnam veteran! i got live and get old. I am comfortable knowing i will die some day. I have the priviledge of living a long life. some of my fellow soldiers never made it home and never got to live a full life!! Thank you for your great videos!!
Thank you so much for your service to our country…and also thank you to those who died for our country. God bless!
Thank you, sir, for serving our country.
Thank you for your service, Sir.
Thank you for your service.
Welcome home.
My mom was on hospice for almost 2 years because of stage 4 lymphoma. She ended up being taken off hospice and she is still living. It's been 4 years ago now
My mom has only days to live. Ms. Julie, I found you in my YT feed and started watching. You have given me comfort and knowledge to be able to cope with my upcoming loss. I'm now more comfortable and less fearful and more at peace with the stages I'm seeing her go through. She is on Hospice and they are wonderful caring and helpful people. Thank you so very much for what you do and sharing your knowledge, it's been a tremendous help.
I’m in your position as well, and Julie has helped beyond words. My sympathy with you and please know your not alone.
@@elizabethcano9531 Thank you Elizabeth, you are in my thoughts as well. Thank you for your response, it helps me.
My mother just passed. Mom was on hospice for 4 months and was only unconscious the last 2weeks. Julie’s education was quite helpful to my sister & I.
@@Mamma-Tex Since the post, my mom passed as well. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm so glad I had some education before hand.
My sincerest condolences to you on your mum, my mum died the 29th May, everyday is so very hard. Hospice Julie as you said helped understanding of the process.
I’m a retired firefighter paramedic, and now EMS educator and deputy coroner. I LOVE your channel.
In my career I’ve experienced a lot of good hospice programs and a few poor ones (like ALL services).
Thank you.
My mom went on and off hospice so we could still treat her for new, short-term issues like infections and take her to the emergency room when necessary. During covid, we would switch out siblings so we each could spent time with her in the ER. She had advancing dementia and truly needed an advocate to provide information to the healthcare staff. Hospice did a great job.
Julie, thank you for your time and service in educating people about this opportunity in health care. I have been in nursing since 1979, got my RN in 1983 in Texas and have worked almost all areas from Oncology to Newborn Nursery and NICU. I also did home health and after retirement from full-time nursing in 2017 worked part time in a rehabilitation/skilled nursing facility.
People need ro speak with their loved ones early on as to what that individual wants, especially if they have a chronic, degenerative, or terminal illness. While both of my parents died long before hospice became a standard in end of life care, my parents-in-law were given marvelous end of life care in Katy,Texas.
P.S. Anyone who thinks that any aspect of health care makes big bucks off of Medicare is sorely mistaken.
We had a bad experience with Hospice when my mother-in-law died. She had terminal COPD and went directly from her last hospitalization to the Hospice center. That morning she ate a sandwich and was alert, talking and laughing. We were told that she would be allowed to remain alert and would be fed at the Hospice center. She had been on a low dose of morphine for months for symptom management and before she was transported to the Hospice center, she was given a larger dose to keep her comfortable during the ride. It knocked her out. Once she got to the center, they continued to give her larger doses of morphine than she was accustomed to, and told us they would keep her unconscious and not allow her to wake up or eat. I’m sure that was in their minds keeping her comfortable but we would have preferred she be at the same level of alertness as she had been before leaving the hospital, so she could respond to loved ones saying their goodbyes. My sister-in-law brought her home 1.5 days later but it was too late and she never regained consciousness, dying 2 days later. At all times the family made their wishes clear and were not listened to. That is not how my mother-in-law would have preferred to spend her last 4 days and if we had it to do over, we would not have sent her to the Hospice center. The Hospice nurse who came to her home during the last 4 days was amazing however. I’m sure many people have had great experiences, ours was not.
My sister passed away of cirrhosis after being in hospice care for only 4 days but she had already stopped eating. She received excellent care in that 4 days. My mother has MS and has been in hospice care in our home for over a year. MS kills very slowly and thanks to her hospice care team she has been able to be comfortable in a home environment among her family and things and my husband and I aren’t lost and still watching RUclips videos to learn how to totally care for her ourselves. Even having someone come bathe her twice a week has been a godsend!! Thank you!!
Hi Nurse Julie,
So glad I found you in March. My FIL is 99 and went on hospice in March. I had no experience with hospice and watching your videos has given me guidance and peace of mind. I am sure my FIL is in good hands with his hospice team. He is still mentally sharp but became totally bed bound after a fall in February. He will be 100 in a few weeks. I love being educated on all the misconceptions I previously had about hospice. Thank you for all you do. ❤ I am a fan and look forward to your videos. My FIL has advanced Parkinsons which contributed to his fall. He was and is stubborn, very independent...was still working daily and living with limited assistance up until his fall.
Wow.... 100 years!!! I am glad he is in hospice getting the care and attention he deserves during this time. ❤
When my second wife was dying, hospice was my rescue. I had been struggling for months taking care of her, and when hospice came in everything became easier and more do-able. I can't speak more highly of nurses in general, and hospice nurses in particular.
Good stuff Julie! I am a Hospice Care Consultant for Compassus Hospice here in Milwaukee and half my day is spent educating patients, families, AND healthcare professionals on the myths you just spoke on. Thank You!
Thank you Julie! My father in law died of CHF but also had kidney failure and COPD and it took 3 hospital stays to convince him to agree to hospice. By the time he got it, it was too late. He died right after the admission nurse left. He suffered at the end and I hate that he kept refusing hospice
When my dad started showing signs of dementia, his Dr recommended we put him in hospice. I was confused, because he was not "dying" at the time. The Dr said he could write him up with a condition called "failure to thrive". This allowed him to get in-home hospice care (help with his meds, bathing etc). I can't recall how long this lasted, but it was a fairly long time until he actually ended up going into the hospice wing of the hospital after a fall. When this started, we were actively looking at assisted care homes for him since we both worked and he could not be left alone for long days.
Failure to thrive is a condition that qualifies you for hospice? My father in law passed in October but he was "diagnosed" as failure to thrive months before he passed
@@ssjess2504
If your Dad's Doctor knew your Dad was dying, I wonder why he didn't recommend some Medicare or Medicaid programs to your Dad...
@@ssjess2504 This was probably 10 years ago. Maybe things have changed. I think the hospice "business" has changed, but I don't know. All I know it was a blessing to get that help at that time.
@@rebeccacarlson9166 the doctors tried to convince him it was time for hospice but he kept refusing even though he was so tired of going to hospitals. After his last hospital stay where he was on a ventilator, the doctor got him just stable enough to go home on hospice and he passed the day he came home, only an hour after the hospice nurse admitted him
Julie, not sure how I stumbled on you but so glad I did! I'm an 'old school' RN. Worked in Med Surg, ER for years, taught a little, did home care for years and now work as a Care Manager for a Family Practice. Thank you so much for spreading the word about death and dying. In many instances, I have tried to explain why getting on Hospice sooner as opposed to later would be more beneficial to all involved...folks are afraid of what they don't know. You are certainly helping to educate us all on what one of my sons said he was thankful for the night my mother died; "the Circle Of Life" (he was 8 at the time). Keep up the good work
Thank you for the education you provide. My mom has often talked about how my grandfather at the end of his life was given morphine right before he died, and she thought the nurse gave him too much morphine and that’s what killed him. She didn’t have bad feelings towards the nurse but it’s what she always believed. Watching your videos and thinking about how she described the scenario I suspect it’s more that they gave him morphine as comfort care at a time when he was actively dying and she misunderstood what was happening. It was all very traumatic for her, as one might expect, so I can understand why she holds on to that belief. It can be easier to place blame rather than accept the painful truth. Thank you for educating us about death and dying so I don’t have to carry the burden of my mom’s belief with me.
Hey Julie this was excellent as usual :) I had a conversation with a neighbor when my mother chose Hospice care, and she had the impression that hospice encourages people to give up and die. She had seen a news story or documentary about it but her recollection was vague. I suggested she'd heard a discussion about Death With Dignity which might be medically assisted suicide but that Hospice provides palliative care according to the patient's wishes. You've mentioned it in a previous video but a more detailed discussion might make another good video. Also, another great topic might be to describe in detail, the intake process. Starting from the doctor's prognosis to the initial consultation with Hospice Nurse and Social Worker. I think people's fear of Hospice is basically fear of dying, so knowing more about how detailed the initial consultations are about what to do in a medical crisis between nurse visits (such as call 911 or call nurse ) decision making and planning for purchasing supplies and hospital bed, etc. and scheduling of visits and how meds are managed, etc could be helpful.
Great Site. I recently lost a younger brother to cancer. Hospice nurse came in and was very helpful. He was lucid enough to dictate his dying wishes to hospital staff. I am in late seventies and have had lawyer write up a living will, something I haven't heard you talk about. Can you please address that... Thanks for all you do for everyone
Yes! It's so important for every aging individual to write a living will. Most states offer a boiler plate document that covers things like medical interventions but families should talk about all the possible decisions that might need to be made and it comforted my sisters and I that we knew exactly what my mother would want when she declined due to dementia.
Hi Julie! I have two questions :)
What is the difference between hospice and palliative care? (I’m 26, on palliative care)
Secondly, is there a difference between how you treat elderly patients, versus younger patients, or even children? Is there additional support for young people and their caregivers?
Thank you so much for your videos, you are truly changing the way we talk about death and dying, which as a terminally ill young person, I try to do all the time!
What a great service you are providing people with these videos, thank you!
Thank you so much julie your truly a gifted nurse everyone is so lucky to have you your wonderful and caring lots off love from Dublin Ireland🇮🇪❤️❤️
Excellent!! Very clear and straightforward. I am a retired non-medical professional and have experienced hospice twice with two of my eight siblings. I am so grateful we had hospice available, and that it will be there for me and my family when needed (I have CKD4). Some of the questions we had from our experiences:
How do you get on hospice?
How often and when do they come?
What if there’s not a home for the patient to go to?
Does hospice include any kind of time to give the caretaker a break?
REALLY appreciate what you’re doing! God bless.
(BTW, mother had a friend on hospice 10 years.)
Ri!!! Thank you!!!
Where I live they absolutely do have Respite Programs for Caregivers. Ask your Hospice people about it. They’re very cognizant of the burden on caregivers and have programs to help you.
Your videos are fabulous ! They teach the patients and their family about end of live issues. Keep up the good work !
Hospice is such a gift and a blessing. My husband benefited greatly from it as he was dying and my mother has been on it for six months now and is doing great. The support, and , as life ends, the medications are so helpful. I have had cancer and treatment myself and if my cancer returns, I do not plan to subject myself to treatment a second time. My quality of life matters more than how long I live. I plan to enter hospice in plenty of time to enjoy my last months with friends and family.
My mom died of cancer about 25 or so years ago the hospice nurse she h ad was absolutely wonderful I was there and the hospice nurse was there too
I can't say enough good things about hospice nurses.thank you for all you do
Julie you are a gift from God, with your knowledge on hospice care. I just wanted to thank you for your compassion, thank you so much ❤️
I was a hospice care volunteer for 3 years. I did this because I believe we in the US have forgotten how to die properly. People die in soulless cold hospitals, with no warmth or care.People are left to die plugged with with tubes and machines in the most unnatural way. Hospice is calm and the people who work their accept death as natural and potentially "beautiful".
Julie thank you for having these videos on Hospice. You helped to care for our family member.😊
Thank you Julie for your videos they have helped me so much since my Dad passed this Easter. He went on hospice and past a day and half later . Seeing your videos enlightens me because part of my is like maybe he should’ve been on hospice way sooner for his pain and CHF. I didn’t know you could go on it for things like that and come off if need be. I think he was buying pain meds because his physicians would not give him what he needed for fear of abuse because of his pst history with over taking his meds and falling . They cut him off which was criminal. ❤️🙏🏻
My husband had early-onset Alzheimer's. He was diagnosed in 1998. In 2014 we found out he had liver bile duct colon cancer. Stage 4 . By some incredible grace of God he did not experience a lot of pain. Doctors felt it was the Alzheimer's somehow blocking the pain. When they told me he was finished and going to die.. they were going to start him on hospice. Hey we're going to stop food water erc. Obviously he couldn't process it. I asked them are you going to drug him so that he is sedated. I was told no. " If he dies ( as s a result of sedation you can sue us for causing him to die sooner". I was dumbfounded. Teddy was the iron horse. During the discussion I kept saying.. he's dying.. he has advanced Alzheimer's he's United States Marine.. you're not going to drug him but you're going to starve him to death you're not going to give him any fluids.. you're going to have to tie him to the bed. But sedating him is against the law. I pushed for a colostomy. He lived another seven years. The last week was a horror show. Bile coming out of his nose, mouth. BUT.. if we him knocked out ( sedated him unconscious) . Thats murder? When we first found out he had Alzheimer's he told me to give him a gun could have been a field and walk away. I lie awake at night beating myself up that I did not do that for him. We are kind your chore animals than we are to our family. The laws have got to catch up. Terminally ill patients should be given the option to end their lives on their own terms. Families have to be given the right to speak for them. I have post-traumatic stress from watching Teddy died his last month on hospice. We did hospice in my house. But still I had to watch him gag, choke, scratching at me the walls because I couldn't put him in a coma or sedate him unconscious.
My 55-year old husband passed February 14, 2023. He had bile duct cancer that was found in his old liver after he had a liver transplant last year. It had spread too much, too fast, and by the time he began to consider hospice it was too late. He stopped palliative chemo on that Friday, signed paperwork to initiate hospice, but was gone by the following Tuesday. If we had had any clue... hospice would have occurred much sooner. Thank you for this video. It will at least help me understand better in the future.
Everything I’ve ever heard about hospice has been highly positive. My social worker colleagues and a music therapist colleague describe it in glowing terms. Also, my father died in hospice in 2016 and it was a beautiful experience. Though I’m in ok health at the moment (age 66), I hope that my final days are spent in hospice care. Thanks for what you do, Julie.
I just sent this to educate a family that I'm working with. They're great of Hospice is paralyzing
😢. I hope this helps them. Thank you
Hospice angels took amazing care of my mother. So many thanks.
Thank you for caring about the dying and all of us.
Thank you for helping us understand what happens when someone is dying. Just subscribed
You are marvelous. I am a hospice caregiver and i regularly send people yo watch your videos. So informative and clear. Thank you for all you do.🎉
Thank you so much for posting this. My mom struggled with the decision to go on Hospice and ended up waiting too long. This video would have been soooo helpful.
I get the basic principles of hospice, but I saw a good elderly friend go into hospice. They stopped her heart meds, food and water. She died in two days...that did not sit well with me and I struggle with that four years later. Can you help me to understand/make sense of this? RIP, Gunny. I miss you
She can. She has gone over that in her vid s. Watch some . It is easier if little water and no food is taken
My FIL lasted for over 9 mos. I thought they would toss him off at one point as we did have him at home.. But they were wonderful. He did die in a nursing home after 2 weeks.
💗💗💗💗
When my dad was dying from lung cancer, he went went on Hospice approximately 2 months before he died. I was having to travel 300 miles back and forth and I was so thankful for Hospice for those times I had to go back home for a few days. They were there at the very end and they were so sweet and kind to him and me. The only question I asked after he died was why did they have to open full unopened bottles of morphine and dump it. I had to witness for them and I asked them why can't another patient have it? I can't remember what they said, but that's not surprising since I just watched my dad die. RIP Dad❤
I have congestive heart failure I have been watching your videos and they actually have helped me understand better still a little scared only because I feel have so much more that I got to make up for it hurts me the most not being there for my daughter and son -in-law and my little sweetheart 4 year old grandson ❤that has special needs I know my days are numbered but that is what hurts me the most not doing enough for my kids 🖤
My husband has Alzheimer's and was put into Hospice, we were told that he would be taken off all his current medications. I absolutely refused to take him off his heart medications, blood thinners, etc. He has been in hospice for almost 6 months. He is still eating well, drinking fluids well and still able to walk with minor assistance. I am in the process of removing him from hospice and placing him on palliative care.
Of course hospice needs to make money. As much as people would probably love to help people for free, nurses still need to make money to live!!
They don’t always make money honestly. Investigations have found companies cheating Medicare by claiming for care that was not given or for providing unreasonable care. There are even sham companies who don’t even have patients at all. The Medicare oversight department (CMS) does not have the resources to discover it and prevent it.
Educational. My father was on Hospice a few weeks - nearly a month. Some of what you have said resonates with me.
Im so thankful for your videos. Thank you !!! God bless you and yours.
Hi Julie, Thank you for the helpful information.
Do you have some tips on helping or comforting someone with pulmonary fibrosis? Or severe respiratory complications. Not being able to get enough oxygen from the lungs What will it be like for the patient?
And what do terminally ill patient usually want from their loved ones?
Thanks again,
Hey Julie. My mom was put on hospic when she lost so much weight.We loved one of her nurses ,she gotten mom up to a weight.Reason she was put on hospic was cause one of her doctor told us mom throat was closing up and food was not going to the right place in her body.What I didn't hear was that if you have to have testes done like exray,CT scan you have to come off of hospic first,then after the tests go back on.Plus the hospic doctor only comes to see the patients only 60 days or they do a video call to the nurse.My mom is not doing better but the doctor said she is.Now seeing her prime doctor which put her on palliative care ,which we don't like.So could you talk about the difference between hospic and palliative care?
this is so true..i had a friend who had lung cancer, spread to her liver, she went into hospice for a week, they thought she was going to pass soon..she did not, and she wanted to go home..10 months later, hospice came in, she was ready to die, but she was complaining she was so uncomfortable, i do not know why..hospice does all they can to keep the patience comfortable, so she wanted to go to the hospital and ended up passing away in the back of the ambulance..i never heard of such a thing, bless her heart..she died at 53..too young, i miss her so much..RIP LYNN🙏🙏
I have a friend who has suffered with heart disease for many years. He told me once that he wasn't afraid of dying he just didn't want it to hurt. I can relate to that. Maybe that's one of the missions of Hospice?
So glad I found your vlog! Thank you for sharing with us!
one of the beauties of hospice is, when our elderly start failing, I've seen doctors offices endlessly pursue "tests", appointments and all types of "medical needs". Hospice allows our elders to simply rest. No pursuing well-ness checkups, no going every 3 months to renew b/p meds. It's exhausting for the elderly, it's exhausting for the families who have to get them up, dressed and into the car and so forth. Being on hospice brings calm and peace to our loved ones, and allows them time with the family and friends and things they wish to do.
I absolute love your video's and have learned so much! Thanks so much for helping to take the "scary" out of dying.
My mother went on hospice last year. While her stay was brief before she passed, they were wonderful! However, they did require a DNR for admission.
Of course Hospice makes money! Should be no apologies for that; without making money for the organization, the organization can’t exist. Great information for most people about the most compassionate side of healthcare. ❤
My dear Mother was deprived of both food and water. Memorial day she had a stroke, we were told we could not take to hospital and no one was available to come to home because of holiday. She lay in her bed in a fetal position till Tuesday and holiday was over
I agree. I was offered palliative care (UK) at the local hospice in November 2022 because I have suspected lung cancer with a heart problem. I thought I was being written off, but that is not true. End of life care is only 5% of their work. Their major work is in the care of patients with long term health issues and helping to make the end 'years' more bearable.
Great video, I am a nurse and learned some new things! I really love your approach and message.
Hospice Nurse -- Your an Angel. Thankyou
Good info we so needed Julie. Thanks for clearing that up . ❤
Be the change, thank you Julie
Your channel has been incredibly helpful. I have multiple people in the home stretch.
My dad died of Pancreatic cancer from diagnosis to death was 7 days. My dad never had jaundice and he didn't loss weight. He did have pain but doctor said it was intergestion and didn't have a ct scan until 2 weeks before he died which was they found cancer in the liver. Had a biopsy and found it had started in the pancreas. By then it was to late to treat.
My mother has terminal cancer. I have been considering in-home hospice but, the couple of people I know who did in-home hospice for their loved one told me was a horrible experience because the nurse just did not care, was not helpful etc... how do I choose a good in-home hospice agency?
Just remember life comes with a death sentence. Nobody gets out alive! Thank you and those like you for making the transition easier.❤
I never knew Hospice were companies-I was thought they were part of the hospital. Of course I learned that at the time I wish I would’ve been more educated. It was one of those experiences that I had to learn something. I never want to learn. Thanks for everything you do.
Excellent content Julie. Thank you.
Ok, so when my mom got cancer, we put her in Hospice. They pumped her full of morphine. She begged us to make them stop. We literally took her out of there after one week. They said she was days away from death. Well, my mom lived for 22 more months. They were killing her 😢 so you see, Some places don't care. They're not all like you. You are kind and compassionate. Thank God for people like you 😊
No kidding ,that’s true for just about everything a person deals with! You have to investigate, geez
Same experience with my Mom in NC 😤😢❤️🩹
I wonder if the difference in quality of care is between independent hospice organizations vs. hospital based (for profit corporations). Julie's phrase "hospice does make money" is a little misleading. "Making money" is not the mission of independent hospice, but they do have to have revenue to cover expenses. "Making a profit" is the mission of hospitals which always seems to compromise quality.
Had a somewhat similar experience when my dad went into hospice. Insisted they stop the high levels of morphine that had him in a zombie-like state. He transitioned at his own pace and my sisters and I made sure at least one of us was always there until he passed. God help those poor people who had no family member there to ensure they were not rushed out of this world.
@James Johnson investigation doesn't always reveal what goes on before you get there. In my experience you must have a family member or caregiver there round the clock.
I wish you could have explained hospice to my parents when my mom passed in 1999 from COPD and lung cancer. They thought she would have to stop all treatments including her thyroid meds and heart meds. I am a retired RN and I tried to clear up the misconception but they still did not want hospice. Mom died a month later in the hospital of a post obstructive pneumonia on a morphine drip. When my dad died in 2013 he went on hospice.
Here in the UK, going along with the knowledge that not all people in hospice die very soon, it's not uncommon for people with cancer to go to hospice, even if they're expected to get through it. It's viewed more holistically here & used for emotional & spiritual support, as well as things like respite care. Cancer does qualify people for hospice here because of the effects of cancer & treatment on people. They can be on chemo with the hope or even expectation of survival, & on hospice. It's also because of the expertise of hospice in dealing with the medical side of things in a more supportive, less intimidating setting compared to hospitals.
Can you pls explain how to begin hospice. My sister was dying and her sons did not want to pay for a hospital bed. I explained to them that they call the dr explain the situation and the dr will arrange for everything. I feel like they waited too long for hospice
My father died while on hospice. Kindest, nicest people in the world.
Well my brother started hospice and he was eating and going to the bathroom by his self as soon as he started the medication they gave him he was never able to get out of bed or speak again then they stopped all meds
@HospiceNurseJulie, I subscribed to your channel after listening to your videos & as someone who "FLUNKED" home hospice after a Dx with stage 4b metastatic squamous cell carcnimona of the cervix , I can TRULY confirm that not all people who go into hospice go onto die. My best friend's papa went into and came out of hospice 4 times before he finally left the planet. Heck, I didn't even know I was in hospice for 5 years when I was cleaning out some paperwork...5 BLOODY YEARS! 🤣🤣 I had to keep staring at the paperwork as I laughed my kneecaps off. I asked my Bae of almost 23 years if he knew this. THE LOOK ON HIS FACE😲 when I showed him the paperwork, 😲 I asked my I knew that I wasn't supposed to leave Hospital alive, then I was supposed to be gone in 6 weeks... NOT ONLY am I NOT in hospice or in treatment, I have NO EVIDENCE of cancer ANYWHERE in my body. I am now trying my best to survive systemic Sarcoidosis but I view it as a challenge. Continue the great work, Julie, MORE people need to hear what you're teaching so they're not terrified of entering should they need the services...BRAVA. Julia!
My wife will be 65 yo October 10th. We get no help from Medicare. The first hospice we looked at was dreary and $12k per month. The second one we looked at is only $8.4k per month. She has been there almost 2 weeks. I make about 63k per year. I fall apart daily and reassemble myself daily
Love to you and your wife, take care mate 🕊❤️
@@australianbirdgal2786 thank you for your kind words!
Medicare does not pay for the basic cost of a nursing home, only the specialized care.
@@SandfordSmythe this is regarding hospice care, not nursing homes.
@@johnlakey4983 Thinking of you and your wife. I hope the best for you ❤️
Question:
Do you know about, or work with laws like the New Jersey Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID)? When my wife went on Hospice in her 5th year of Pancreatic cancer, she passed peacefully, pain free, and with family around her. She began the MAID process but passed quickly. My dear friend has ALS and will make his first oral request for MAID early, in case his speech becomes limited.
My every experience with hospice has been better than I could have ever hoped. Your frank and honest discussions have truly sustained my quest for understanding.
My Mama was on hospice less than 24 hours. They brought her by ambulance to the nursing home, I got all the paperwork done and hospice set up that afternoon and the next morning I got a call that she wasn't swallowing the morphine. I went there & she was nonresponsive, she died just after noon. It was that quick.
They gave my dad morphine injections.
@@pegs1659 Yes my Daddy had Methadone and seemed to work fine for him but it was in his IV. My Mama I guess was in the Rally because the day she came down by ambulance to the nursing home and got set up for hospice she was talking to everyone and telling the Dr. how happy she was to be back in her hometown and wanting to know all the nurses names. I didn't know about the Rally at that time. She asked me to spend the night with her and I told her that the staff was working on getting me a cot-like bed so I could stay with her some nights but they hadn't got it set up yet but I promised her I would stay the night with her when I got a bed. I feel so bad now because that was her LAST night alive and her final request for me. I'd have brought a sleeping bag and slept on the floor if I'd have known. Her last words to me were "Well I wish you would stay.". 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
I have been diagnosed with early stage 2 breast cancer. I have opted to do nothing. I am not afraid of dying I am afraid of pain...can you speak to pain management. I
(sigh 😔) my boyfriend had AML. He'd had a bone marrow transplant two years ago, but relapsed a year+ later. When he told his hematologist he was trying CBD oil, he was told he would no longer receive blood and platelets and needed to be given to patients who responded to the treatment. The last 2 weeks of his life he was hospitalized with severe shortness of breath. They found he had sickle cell anemia. He wanted palliative care, they insisted on hospice. When he refused, they stopped his chemo pill and no blood and platelets. Nothing was done about the sickle cell. He told them he was not giving up on surviving. He was waiting to hear back from Duke about three clinical trials aimed at relapsed AML. As he quickly got weaker, he gave into hospice care in the hospital. They gave him his chemo pill back, after 5 days off of it, and sent him home that Monday with Morphine and oxygen. He had trouble breathing and wasn't eating. He died three days later. He didn't live long enough to get home hospice. He died at home restless and didn't recognize anyone. He suffered, Julie. I worked in a hospice, and I know that curative treatments are not given. As I said, he wanted palliative care. He wasn't given that choice. And I still cannot reconcile myself that what was done was right. Our life together was taken away. I feel he was prepped to die and he didn't have to. He was only 61 and still a damn strong man. We would have done as many clinicals as we had to till we found the one that would put him in permanent remission. We would've still been humbly grateful for each additional day God could give us as we always have been.
My mother has end stage COPD. I've finally got her to agree to Hospice, so we have someone coming out next week.
Love your channel but I find the repetitive sound track REALLY hard to take after a few minutes. So I have to stop. Could you consider something different?
They told me at my MILs nursing home that they would not take her to the hospital in hospice.
My mom was on home hospice for adenocarcinoma in both lungs and COPD from Smoking for over 50 years. She was on chemo and did well with it for a long time and then went on home hospice and was on it for over a year and a half before she had an incident that required heavy pain meds. Arguing with the hospice facility social worker I found out all the "EXTRA" health insurance was never necessary from the time she started chemo and wasted over $300 a month they kept taking out of her bank account even though they knew she had passed. Please please please check and make sure you are not wasting money on insurance that will not help but just take take take.
My husband was on hospice at home for less than a day, but they were wonderful.
What’s the difference in for profit and not for profit in terms of how those monies are spent? How do each of those types of companies spend that money?
With all cause mortality being so much higher in America these past two years, have you noticed an increase in hospice patients? Thank you
Tyvm this is very informative 🙂🙂. ? For you though..do friends and family ever come to you and say they are scared to talk to the person?! I'm scared to talk to my friend whose on hospice right now..can't go in there without breaking down. Don't know what to say. Please help me ty
~85% of human behavior is non-verbal. What’s so awful about “breaking down?” This is someone you love and a hug, hand squeeze, kiss on the cheek AND tears etc. are having a conversation. That’s all you need to “say,” the authentic you.
So I have a bad heart and a pacemaker but if I was on hospice for my terminal cancer why would I still want to have my cardiologist try to entend my life,? I'd rather have them deactivate my pacemaker, but would they?
Great question.
Love your informative videos.
Julie love your hair
It is beautiful.
My brother in law WAS GOING TO DIE. Had hospice care not been there, I can’t imagine what a cruel death it might have been.
5:32 Does morphine hastens death?
Julie, what’s your stance on Right to Die states? I’m for it. You?
Julie, how quick is the response by hospice workers when the patient may need more pain or agitation control. I’ve heard stories where they come only a few times a week. Is that true?