Are geriatric patients worth investing in?
At what point is it o.k. to turn it over to hospice?
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ANSWERS: 6
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It's "OK" in order to alleviate pain, but it's still hard to say goodbye.
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you don't have another choice
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Linda Joy I never said anything about two choices. I asked two questions. There are many choices. What's yours? -
Stpauligerle Sorry. I didn't see the second part of your question. That's why I said you don't have a choice to take care of them. Hospice has to come in when you're starting to neglect your relative because of your own life like not changing their diapers soon enough not getting them their meals on time that's when a facility needs to be picked out. As far as hospice being called in isn't that the doctors call saying they have so much time to live and they're definitely going to die and there's no point in doing any more treatments that's the doctor's call not the family's right -
Linda Joy "Hospice care: Care designed to give supportive care to people in the final phase of a terminal illness and focus on comfort and quality of life, rather than cure. The goal is to enable patients to be comfortable and free of pain, so that they live each day as fully as possible." Hospice can be done at home or a facility.
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Quebec is considering a bill that would allow doctors to euthanize patients with Alzheimer's or dementia. Pre-authorization is required but if the person changes their mind or a third party disagrees, the final decision is still left to the doctor.
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Linda Joy
I like that pre-authorization is required or I'd suspect the government of shutting people down because of government run health care costs or what's left of their organs! But with progressively worsening mental health, I can understand the doctor being more pragmatic than the family members. -
Archie Bunker
So you're okay with someone else deciding if your parent should be killed or not just because they have Alzheimer's? -
Linda Joy
Is that what you read?! My father left when I was two, my mother died by the time I was 30 and my son has not been dependent on me since high school! I guess if you don't believe in God or Heaven the thought of death and dying can be traumatic. But the reality is anyone, whether doctor or mugger or bank robber can end your life anytime. Death is the natural end to a life even if it happens unnaturally. I plan to put a DNR in my file, so no one else has to worry about it. -
Archie Bunker
You can slip in the shower, too. Death is the end for us all, but I don't want that decision left up to someone else (if at all possible) who has no skin in the game.
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Economically? Never. Emotionally? That's a huge topic that depends on a lot of personal information. But ultimately, it's up to you and you alone to determine what your values should be. I don't think it's proper to judge anyone based on difficult decisions they've made that are no one else's business. As far as hospice, it is recommended for patients with a terminal illness and a life expectancy less than six months. My heart goes out to anyone dealing with these sorts of questions, they are, by far, the most difficult things in life.
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Linda Joy
I can almost never agree with always and never answers. It could be financially advantageous to keep an old geyser alive if they have a lot of money and you can get them to sign a power of attorney. I know this must be true because I saw it on tv. Not only was the scenario on NCIS, but it was also on Psych, so it HAS to be true!! -
bostjan the adequate 🥉
I guess I don't really understand that scenario. If you don't have PoA, and are not next of kin, then it's not going to be up to you when they croak anyway. But I spoke too broadly. I'm sure you could think up a highly improbably situation where it might be economoically advantageous to keep a geriatric patient alive, but I'd contend that the odds of something like that are one in a million.
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They are members of the family, who we loved, we pay for care homes in the UK when the family member becomes to much to look after, especially if they are violent or keep falling down and hurting themselves, this comes at a huge expense but there is no choice because I don't believe killing the person is an option, that would be classed as murder, I think it could threaten morality and ethics and lead to something much more sinister, like the killing of all unwell people in society you are then back to eugenics. The hospice stage comes when they are crippled from lack of muscle and no longer able to swallow. So they are certainly worth investing in because we spend all our lives paying mortgages to own our homes, only to then give it all over at the end of our life if we have to go into a care facility, so someone somewhere is making some serious money, because the carers themselves don't get paid much.
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Linda Joy
My ex brother in law went home for hospice. He had TB.
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If you become a geriatric person , would you like to be invested in to be looked after ,to be given dignity and care ?
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Linda Joy
Others don't give you dignity. They can try and take it, but it has to be surrendered. Its kinda like what Eleanor Roosevelt said about feeling inferior. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" As for being invested in, I thought about that when I was diagnosed with cancer. I wondered if it was worth the taxpayer expense to go through the treatment. I'm still trying to decide that. And I don't particularly want others to have to take care of me either. On the other hand I am training doctors. They can't do their job without patients. And I'll soon enough be geriatric which is why I asked the question. So I can see other perspectives and be better informed when making choices for myself. -
seabev
Dear Linda ,I also have cancer and it is important to have treatment you maybe successful in your treatment as many are . And remember their are people without cancer etc that with age become necessary to be cared for so don’t decide what might happen try for the moment to take treatment.thinking of you
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mushroom 
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