Hospice

Grandpa & Graham Watching Paw Patrol!

It has been an interesting week with people coming and going from the Hospice program.  Everyone who has come has been wonderful and very knowledgeable about working with Alzheimer's patients.  I'd like to say that Grandpa loved the company but that would be a gross exaggeration.  He didn't mind them coming but taking vitals, checking temperature, getting a shower was not something he was interested in and quite vocal in his objections!  He is very content to sit in the family room as long as we stayed in the living room.  . 
The Hospice program is for support in working with the family and patient who is in severe stage Alzheimer's as well as other people who require special help which will eventually become "end of life" care.  Sweet Grandma had a wonderful group of people who worked with her before she passed away.  Since meeting with the Doctor on Thursday I have had Carmen, Katie, Brittany, and another gentleman (didn't get his name because Grandpa was having none of it!).  Carmen did the initial intake information and talked to me about what the program does and doesn't do.  It seems to do everything.  Katie is our nurse (how can I not love someone named Katie!) and she was the vitals person.  She is a registered nurse and will work closely with the doctor on prescription needs and other medical issues that will occur.  Brittany is our caseworker.  I met Brittany almost a year ago when her father gave me her business card and asked me to call her.  She came and spent an hour with me talking about what to expect and where I could get help when it is needed.  Today she again came and went through the processes of what to expect and was wonderful with grandpa.  While she was here the practical nurse came to help me give Grandpa a shower.  I honestly knew that it wouldn't work and that he would not respond well to a man giving him a shower.  I'm not sure that a woman will be any better but I know that he is pretty good with Ruth and other women that he sees in stores.  If you've read my blog grandkids you may remember my post about his pointing out every pretty girl or woman he sees.  I can live with that if they can get him to get in the shower and get his hair washed.  Today that didn't happen although the CNA  did his best.  We did a little sponge bath but that was as far as we got.  They will start sending a female from now on. 

Brittany pointed out that I am steering the ship in this process.  I'm to tell them what needs to be done and how often we will need help.  At this point the nurse will come each week just to see how Grandpa is doing and the nurse assistant will come each week to help clean him up.  Today they left behind numerous items to help in his care such as wet wipes for adults, gloves, bed pads, something similar to depends, lotions, shampoo, and special cleaner for his private areas.  All his medication will be delivered to the house.  After meeting with me yesterday the nurse said that until we get the anxiety under control showering and other care he will need will be difficult to impossible.  Starting tomorrow I will be adding another medication that will hopefully help him calm down.  For a while they will be trying different medications that work with Alzheimer's patients.  The warning on this particular medication change is an increased possibility of falling so I will have to watch and stay close when he first stands up.  As I have learned from friends who take medication is that sometimes the medication we take for a problems creates other issues.  This is an example of that. 

All in all the process has been very helpful and has given me the courage to keep moving forward in providing the comfort care that an Alzheimer's patient will receive.  I have no doubt that Grandpa did have a mild stroke and I won't be surprised that there will be more in the coming months.  Keeping him calmer will hopefully prolong the inevitable and maintain a process where Grandpa will have some peace and calm.  I love kind people and I can now add a few more of them to my list of people to express gratitude for!