Being Admitted to Hospice (What to Expect and Know) 

My dad is 99 and the VA put him in at home hospice but after six months they took him out because they said he was too healthy 😂😂😂😂 true story. He might make it to a 100, he keeps surprising us.

My dad and i were beyond greatful to be able to call out nurses in the middle of the night. During my mam's last day's she had a lot of breakthrough pain ( despite having a driver) nausea and terminal agitation which was so devastating to behold. They would come in and administer the relevant medication and also reassure us. The day she passed, the hospice nurses washed and changed her ( my dad and I could not face it at the time ) One of the nurses started crying and, in my opinion, it showed that my precious mam wasn't just another " patient " I sincerely thank God above for palliative care and hospice nurse's. Xxxxx

I feel like I'm ready for Hospice but no one else seems to think it. I'm end stage copd and have spent the last 2 months in the hospital, in and out. I love you for bringing all this information to all. Please don't stop. ❤❤❤

I used to do housekeeping and errands for Hospice patients and families, when I was raising my own children. ❤️When my DaD got sick, my sisters argued against Hospice, I am sure, due to a bit of misunderstanding. My brother and I knew it was right. I was too far away to travel to see him, but his brother, grandchildren and great granddaughter were close by. They visited him every day. I talked with my DaD on video chat💔One of the nurses made sure my DaD had his favorite music on, and got pain meds to minimize his symptoms. He died peacefully, surrounded by Love....

I wish I had known about your channel 7 years ago when I lost my wife to pancreatic cancer. It would not have changed the outcome but perhaps I would have been better prepared. Thank you and God bless you for all you do.

My Father had AML after battling for 4 months he asked his hematologist how long he had, that was on a Friday and his doctor told him maybe a week. Hospice came that same day had a hospital bed brought in for him, ordered all the pain meds and answered all the questions. In the very early hours of the following Tuesday morning he passed and the hospice nurse came and pronounced him. It was a difficult time and they provided a very caring service to our family.

OY! There is a reason coming why I've been drawn to your channel. Bless your honesty, guts and care for the living and the dying. I'm forever grateful.

Every time I hear the word Hospice, I cringe with fear but listening to you, is making it easier to hear

Just went through that with my mom

I’m at the age where everyone died. My “roots”, died-all within years. I wish I would have known all this in 2020. I’ve definitely planned and vocalized for myself-there aren’t many here to know about what I want or who I am.

Julie, once again, You are an American Treasure! -Jeff, Hospice Care Liaison (Milwaukee)

Thank you Julie for the blessings that you give people, that do not know

Julie, you are so great! I can’t thank you enough for your friendly informative videos. ❤ I am 80 years old, and fortunately in good health right now, but I am planning with my family what I want to do when the time comes. Your videos have helped me with that so much! I hope, when I need one, that I have a Hospice nurse like you! Thank you!❤

Your channel is such a blessing. There are people like me who tend to flock to youtube morticians (I'm a caitlin doughty girly 😅) for answers about death. However, I appreciate your appeal to those who aren't comfortable with a macabre environment and instead (understandably) need a calm, gentle, and caring person to guide them through their transition or just to satisfy curiosity for the future.

I have the gene for ALS and if I develop it, I want Hospice right away.

Thank you for this information. I don't think this was explained very well when my late mother went into hospice. After falling several times her ALF said she couldn't come back unless she was on hospice, so we had to sign her up to get her back "home" to her apartment. She fell and hit her head (she had HF and a very poor appetite, so she was weak) and had a brain bleed so we had her taken to the hospital. At the hospital, the hospice people came to see her and took her off hospice, and said she'd have to be put back on when she was discharged. We didn't understand that she wasn't supposed to be admitted any more. I mean we knew she was slowly going downhill, but my dad would get very upset if anyone said anything so we were all basically in denial for his sake.

Please do a short video on palliative care

When my grandpa was dying of leukemia hospice came to our home since he had moved in with us after my grandma died he was so comfortable being in his own home and his own bed with a cat and a dog in bed with him ❤ he passed away very peacefully 🙏🦋♥️ luckily 2 of his hospice nurses lived in my parents neighborhood so in the 2 times they had questions they walked to my parents house and they did whatever they needed and answered questions and concerns they had or needed clarification on 💖🦋🦋 they were such a Blessing to us 🙏🦋🦋

Yeah, I remember the it's either this or that. Although my mom was on Hospice care, there was a time when it was an emergency and the Hospice nurse was too far away from the house in which I believe at the moment that time was of the essence. My mom had complained about her heart, and I instantly thought it could be a heart attack. She had one a few months prior while she was in the hospital. I had given her some morphine from the Hospice kit they gave me, but not being a doctor I was concerned. So I said to myself, to hell with this either this or that, and called for an ambulance. By the time the ambulance had come and go the Hospice nurse had showed up. I had told the nurse her vitals and she suggested to give her more morphine in addition to the recommended dose that I had given her. After that, she had left because nothing else could be done. I was also told to call Hospice when she had died, which is what happened. My mom had died a little later and I called Hospice again. She came back to confirm the death and to "clean her up" before the coroner came. She needn't have worried since I made sure my mom was always clean. While the coroner was on his way, she showed me some of the signs that indicates death from the body, like discoloration of the feet. Eventually the coroner came and had wrapped my mom up in a sheet, placing her in back of the wagon and taking off. But I'll never forget that moment of thinking that if I was to call for an ambulance my mom would lose her Hospice benefits, at least that was my understanding at the time. But I didn't care, I thought my mom possibly could be suffering from a heart attack and I figured an ambulance would get here quicker, and I was right.

Excellent information! Thank you so much for your channel. You are doing a wonderful service.

I wish I was in your area and had you available for my nurse, you are so thorough. I am new to Hospice care and been admitted on only a week ago. I'm going to see how this week goes and I think they either have to change my nurse or I am going to change to a different company, I am not comfortable with her.

Bless you for this video. Perhaps you could do something for those of us with no close family, no family home, and doing this "on my own". DNR is signed, kids are all advised; body is (supposed to be) going to a research place in Oregon. So, I'm by myself -- can I do it this way? If not, now what? I am not likely to die of illness anytime soon, but I want to be ready when it gets to that point. Again, great video and thank you.

Thank you Julie. Thank you. Keep information coming. It’s in my future.

I really admire you and am thinking about working in hospice care as a social worker/therapist. I just don’t know if I’m strong enough to stay grounded myself while working with so much grief every day. But it’s such important work, especially for patients who are alone and without family.

@Hospice Nurse Julie I cannot THANK YOU enough for your videos! I started watching your videos by chance right around the time my mother in law was on the down turn in her health. She passed on in October of 2021. Then in November of 2023 My Momma passed on. And today I find out that my Momma’s sister my favorite and much loved aunt has metastatic cancer throughout her chest abdominal region and bones. If not for your videos I would be totally lost. God Bless you for the work you do. I will forever be eternally grateful.❤

Thankyou Nurse Julie. I have the big CA and when the time coming l would want you to be my Nurse, but l living so far away in Lawtowne Massachusetts! Lol! 😂 I thank you for your explaining what hospice be like and what to expect! Thankyou once again! 👍❤️😊 Have a blessed day! 🙏👍

Keep on keeping on you help so much. My mil is on hospice -in home.

My husband was admitted to hospice immediately. His primary care physician denied it. We asked to have someone else admit him. He died 5 days after admission. Hospice was the best thing for me…resources were available thru them that all his other hospital doctors did not offer.

Gracias nurse Julie

Thank you, Julie. ❤️

Love your work, you are doing a great service.

I jad the great pleasure to move in with my 99 year young aunt Dottie and help her from the bed to a wheel chair to a walker and a cane. By the time she was 100 I took her to the beach and she laughed and said she hadn't felt sand between her toes in 85 years! On Christmas Eve she was 101 in 2017 and she had her neighbors over and we were drinking champagne and telling dirty jokes and My beloved Dottie laughed so hard she dropped jer glass and she was gone ! I am sorry to those individuals and families that have to suffer a gruesome death....

Note to self: stop looking at Julies missing nail polish finger! Focus woman!!

I've always heard about good experiences with hospice. However, when my dad passed a year ago, I was extremely disappointed with them. He got home around 4pm. Around 3am the next morning he fell and my mom called me and my husband to help. Beginning around 8am he became extremely combative. He was this way all day, and my mom and I had trouble keeping him in bed. I frantically called the hospice contact. She said she lived several hours away, and our only option was basically deal with him or call the ambulance if we couldn't handle him. We ended up having him admitted back into the hospital where we sat with him for a day and a half until he passed.

Thanks!

Thanks

please define/explain hospice music therapy. That honestly intrigues me quite a bit. I've never heard anyone mention it but you.

There are times when you refer to other videos, but you don't have links to those resources in your notes. It would really help me to be able to see other things that you talk about after I watch your video. Would it be possible for you to add links to your notes? My son told me about your channel. It is valuable and I've learned a lot. Thank you!

My husband is in pain mgt hospice & I can see his evil twin re-emergence little by little he wants home hospice too be honest I'm seeing the writing on the wall & I feel Very mixed about going through dealing with the personality disorder again, especially at this, the pain level is beyond. What palliative was able to take care of without putting him in there from a surgical mistake Three years ago so frustrating

Nurse Julie, I don’t know if you’ll see this, or if you’ve covered this before, but what do you think about medical aid in dying? There’s a few states in the US where it is allowed.

How do we know which Hospice company to chose? Are there several Hospice companies to select? Will the doctor or hospital recommend a Hospice company? Can the family change hospice company ? Thank you for the information. I want to know what will happen before it actually happens.

Hi Julie. I am a dialysis patient. I've had ESRD for almost 30 years. I had one transplant in 97 that was from my father, I have been back on dialysis since 08 and have been thinking of going on hospice. My doctor and social worker just tell me I'm depressed, but with no family and no support system i am unable to get a transplant. I'm only 41 but i really dont want to do this anymore. Any advice?

Hi nurse Julie, my name is Carole and I would like to know what are the symtems of stomach cancer?

Nurse 👍

Can people get on hospice when they just don't care to care for themselves anymore? I have a mental illness that'll slowly progress to the point I begin to lose cognitive function and begin to stop understanding I need to care for myself before it slowly kills me...

Would like to know about end of life with leukemia

Julie, what determines hospice at home or hospice care delivered at a hospice facility?

Can my husband continue on Dialysis and get on hospice? He has cracked tailbone + needs stronger meds to sit in recliner at Dialysis for 4 hrs

how do you tell your loved one it is time for hospice? I care for my sister and when that time comes I just don't know.

My mom was forced to go off hospice to do palliative radiation. 😕

Can someone continue to take seizure

Julie. Thanks for your channel I have a brother who has been on Methadone for addiction issues, my guestion is if he had to go on Hospice care is there any pain meds that would help considering.

My roommate is getting morphine it's obvious he is suffering greatly just looking at him. Yeah he'll die peacefully at the moment of his death.

How much “time” for someone with jaundice (patient has metastatic rectal cancer (in liver). ?

Myeloma is arguably a terminal illness with deteriorating health but no approx date of death? How do they fear when applying for hospice?

Hallelujah!!! I’m the favorite, $60,000 every week! Now I can afford anything and also support the work of God and the church.

I’m not religious, but most chaplains have “intention”, that’s not about money….but about ppl. Chaplains are cool, I’d rather hangout with them, than a businessman. Chaplains listen.

The hospice experience all depends on the nurse that comes regularly. If they fail to do all parts of their job, it is not a good experience.

Seizure meds while on Hospice.

PLEASE STOP THE SPAM OF MONEY MAKING POSTS!!! 😡 THIS IS A CHANNEL FOR END OF LIFE CARE, NOT A SPAM THREAD THAT SWINDLES MONEY OUT OF THE PEOPLE LOOKING FOR ADVICE ON CARING FOR A LOVED ONE!!!

Is there a reason why you won’t answer my questions?

Please say “PROVIDER ” not “Doctor” many Nurse Practitioners like myself work as Hospice providers:-)

Jesus is King!

Thank you Julie, this is so helpful for what to expect!

Nurse 👍