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Hospice, any tips, guidelines or experiences you can share?
Cancer | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (17)Comment receiving replies
I was my Mom's hospice care at the end of her life. The help I received from the Hospice nurse was immeasurable. It is important to have the Health Power of Attorney, signed and notarized. You have to make decisions on medicine.
The greatest problems were from relatives and my Mother's friends. I had to be a strong gatekeeper because people would come at all hours, give huge amounts of advice, and stay too long. Be prepared for visitor's behavior because even the strongest people can react badly to someone dying. My Mom just wanted peace, she wanted to talk to her Pastor and rest.
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Hello @dlspires,
Welcome to Mayo Connect. I appreciate you sharing about your mother's hospice experience. You have shared some important observations about end-of-life needs. I agree that a Health Care Power of Attorney is very important. There will come a time when many of us will not be able to make medical decisions for ourselves, and we will require assistance to carry out our wishes. So, it is important to name someone we can trust to help us with those decisions.
I like that you described yourself as a "gatekeeper" for your mom when she was in hospice. Often, people are uncomfortable with this transition, and setting boundaries with family and friends is essential to maintaining peace and quiet.
How long ago did your mom pass away?