My 86 year old mother lives alone with a few hours of caregiving provided each day. In the last month, she has experienced a lot of fluid from her legs. She has a DNR and has stopped taking her medications. She spends most of her time in a recliner, but doesn’t elevate her legs as often as she should. She absolutely does not want to go to a hospital or a rehab facility, etc. The aide said that the fluid from her legs is getting on the footrest of the recliner and in the carpet below the seatalso . It also has an odor. Hospice is changing her bandages about three times a week, but it sounds like it could be done more often. The CAN’s and aides are not authorized to do this. Only a nurse is authorized and they’re already stretched thin for time. Does anyone have good suggestions about how to handle, products, etc. that work to capture the excess? What best practices work?
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Hospice recommended residential care, and even that was brief.
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When the bandages are changed, is the skin intact?
You've told her prescribing doctor that her diuretics aren't effective any more, have you?
PS Sorry, I see that you explained she has stopped taking her medications. Any chance she might agree to start taking her diuretic again at least? And/or at least listen to what her doctor has to say about it? Hospice won't ban diuretics prescribed for symptom relief.