pstanton12

My mom (77) is in the last stages of Alzheimer's. No recognition, no speech,
can't walk or eat anything but baby food. We have a caregiver who lives with my
mom in a rental apt.
I have Power of Attorney and my mom signed a DNR order.
The caregiver will call an ambulance in the middle of the night, saying my mom
is turning blue,(she has breathing problems) and will admit her to the hospital
where the immediately put in a cathereter, start antibiotics and run every test
imaginable. This obviously terrifies her.
She is on medicaid and I don't have much faith in her doctor. I think he looks
at my mom as a money maker. The diagnosis is always"pre pneumonia" The stay is
for a week.
This has happened about 6 times in the last year.
My question to this group is- can I state no antibiotics- no cathereter?
I want her to have some dignity, and I don't want to prolong her life
unnecessarily. This is going on 10 years now. I suspect the caretaker admits
her for a rest or vacation.

Has anyone else experienced this? What do I tell the doctor, the caretaker? I
want her to be comfortable (morphine drip?), but if the pneumonia would take
its course, then we would end this nightmare.
Pat Stanton

evelyn ruut

Dear Pat,

I think you ought to contact Hospice immediately. They can provide
guidance, care, and common sense advice about how to allow your mom to die
with dignity, without unnecessary medical intervention which only prolongs
her agony. You are thinking clearly about this, the caretaker is
practicing what is commonly called CYA.

--
Evelyn

(To reply to me personally, remove sox)

beth

Pat, Have you considered a Hospice assessment? It sounds as if this could
help all of you. "Ideally" you ask the MD for a referral, but you can try
calling a local one (often you have a choice) and discussing your situation.
They likely can evaluate the needs and then contact the MD with their
report. If you have the authority and it's what you feel is best, I doubt
that the MD will refuse their care. And if by chance he does, hospice could
help you find another MD (there are ones that visit the home, but usually
you have to be in the know to find out about them).
Your aide has the right to protect herself when something happens beyond her
capabilities. She cannot decide what needs to be done. The ER is not a
good place to be arguing about care delivery. With hospice, the aide could
call and a nurse could handle the decision-making-assessing, contacting MD,
etc. according to your guidelines.

Sounds like it's time to me.

Beth

mare

Pat,
I agree with the hospice suggestion. They might be able to
give the caretaker time off so she won't be as prone to call
911. They might even tell her she can't call because your
Mom is on hospice. The caretaker can then call hospice when
something is happening. I would also file the DNR with the
hospital they end up in. The hospital might even have other
forms to fill out that you can specify what can and cannot
be done.
--

Mare
mfcoleman@THEOLEmindspring.com
http://www.muggsmulcher.com/kstuff/a.s.a/intro.htm
alt.support.alzheimers' FAQs and Stuff Pages

caregiver who lives with my


admit her to the hospital

antibiotics and run every test


doctor. I think he looks

evelyn ruut

CYA means "cover your butt"

--
Evelyn

(To reply to me personally, remove sox)

john inzer

========================
Then why ain't it...CYB... )

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Smile, you may be on Candid Camera.

--

John Inzer
return e-mail disabled

gwen love

Pat, my husband was in a NH, but they had instructions to never send him
to the hospital. He was to be treated by his doctor in the NH rather than
in a hospital. Doubt if you could do this at home though.
Gwen

--
=====================
If there is no wind........row.
=====================

| My mom (77) is in the last stages of Alzheimer's. No recognition, no
speech,
| can't walk or eat anything but baby food. We have a caregiver who lives
with my
| mom in a rental apt.
| I have Power of Attorney and my mom signed a DNR order.
| The caregiver will call an ambulance in the middle of the night, saying
my mom
| is turning blue,(she has breathing problems) and will admit her to the
hospital
| where the immediately put in a cathereter, start antibiotics and run
every test
| imaginable. This obviously terrifies her.
| She is on medicaid and I don't have much faith in her doctor. I think
he looks
| at my mom as a money maker. The diagnosis is always"pre pneumonia" The
stay is
| for a week.
| This has happened about 6 times in the last year.
| My question to this group is- can I state no antibiotics- no
cathereter?
| I want her to have some dignity, and I don't want to prolong her life
| unnecessarily. This is going on 10 years now. I suspect the caretaker
admits
| her for a rest or vacation.
|
| Has anyone else experienced this? What do I tell the doctor, the
caretaker? I
| want her to be comfortable (morphine drip?), but if the pneumonia would
take
| its course, then we would end this nightmare.
| Pat Stanton
|
|

gwen love

I would add that Grayson was under the care of Hospice.
Gwen
--
=====================
If there is no wind........row.
=====================

| Pat, my husband was in a NH, but they had instructions to never send
him
| to the hospital. He was to be treated by his doctor in the NH rather
than
| in a hospital. Doubt if you could do this at home though.
| Gwen
|
| --
| =====================
| If there is no wind........row.
| ===================== |
| "Pstanton12" <pstanton12@aol.com> wrote in message
| news:20040208102123.16864.00000416@mb-m26.aol.com...
| | My mom (77) is in the last stages of Alzheimer's. No recognition,
no
| speech,
| | can't walk or eat anything but baby food. We have a caregiver who
lives
| with my
| | mom in a rental apt.
| | I have Power of Attorney and my mom signed a DNR order.
| | The caregiver will call an ambulance in the middle of the night,
saying
| my mom
| | is turning blue,(she has breathing problems) and will admit her to
the
| hospital
| | where the immediately put in a cathereter, start antibiotics and
run
| every test
| | imaginable. This obviously terrifies her.
| | She is on medicaid and I don't have much faith in her doctor. I
think
| he looks
| | at my mom as a money maker. The diagnosis is always"pre pneumonia"
The
| stay is
| | for a week.
| | This has happened about 6 times in the last year.
| | My question to this group is- can I state no antibiotics- no
| cathereter?
| | I want her to have some dignity, and I don't want to prolong her
life
| | unnecessarily. This is going on 10 years now. I suspect the
caretaker
| admits
| | her for a rest or vacation.
| |
| | Has anyone else experienced this? What do I tell the doctor, the
| caretaker? I
| | want her to be comfortable (morphine drip?), but if the pneumonia
would
| take
| | its course, then we would end this nightmare.
| | Pat Stanton
| |
| |
|
|

ksera

Dear Pat,

The hospice suggestion is one you need to check out---my experience is
they will take over----your hospice nurse will call the doctor when
necessary, even be ready to make final paper work non-existent if she
should die at home. Hospice will keep her comfortable & also give
your caregiver a safety net.

Always,

Char

dpharris

On 08 Feb 2004 15:21:23 GMT in alt.support.alzheimers,


if YOU have the power of attorney amd DNR order the caregiver
should call YOU first so that YOU can decide what to do. if the
caregiver won't follow your directions in this regard, it's time
for a new caregiver!


yes! YOU have the DOA for health care, and a DNR order. the
hospital should have copies of both on file.


or to keep her going forever, in order to continue employment.
as i said, if the caregiver won't follow your legal directions,
it's time for a new caregiver! YOU are in charge.

you need a caregiver who *will obey* the DNR order and NOT call
the ambulance.

if things are in this state, why not find a good nursing home
that can provide more appropriate terminal care in accordance
with your direction and her wishes??