My dad is 89 lives with us and was diagnosed a year ago with stage 4 kidney failure he hasn’t been to any appointments he cancels them all so no treatment he has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He has deteriorated a lot in the last 4/5 weeks and is in a lot of pain in the last three days , do I ask for palliative care ? Is it possible he can go into a hospice ? The dr asked if he was on end of life care but it’s the first time a gp has mentioned it . I don’t no what to expect and I do t think I can cope with it all as I’m unwell myself , adult social care seem to just be bothered about what money he has and if he will accept going to a flat with carers they don’t seem to listen to me , there’s no way he could manage he needs nursing even though he says he doesn’t , he cannot do anything for himself he only just manages to get to the loo in the day but makes a mess and he doesn’t manage to get there at all in the night . I don’t no what to do next . Any suggestions would be gratefully recieved
Hi Hazela13 and welcome to the Marie Curie Community. We are sorry to read about your dad’s diagnosis and all that you are going through. It sounds like it has been an overwhelming time and it is normal to find these times difficult to cope with. Caring for someone you love can be both physically and emotionally tiring and some people find their feelings can change often. Hopefully others here on the Marie Curie Community can share their experiences and insights, perhaps talk about ways in which they managed similar situations.
Hospice care is accessed through a referral process made by a healthcare professional like your dad’s GP. Getting care from a hospice will depend on a number of factors including availability of beds. Patients can be referred to a hospice for short stays, for example symptom management or for respite. If you want to find out more, speaking with your dad’s GP could be a helpful next step.
Take care,
Elin – Support Line Officer