What can be done for someone 80 years old with chf and chronic kidney disease? Will he benefits from it or suffer more? What about recovery time and how long can he benefit from it?
I think where I live that Hospice care is offered only when end of life is predicted (by a physician) to be within 6 months. No treatment is allowed, only comfort care. Is the policy different in different areas of the country? I have heard of people who go into hospice care then recover and even about people who remain in hospice care for years and not for only 6 months or less.
I am sorry to hear about your dad's condition. If your dad is in hospice care it generally means they are not going to treat his CHF and kidney disease, they are only going to offer comfort care. What does your dad want?
I know its really hard when staff seem to be dismissive. I hope you can talk to another staffer or maybe get an outside medical opinion if that will help.
With my own grandmother, she passed at 92 a month after a half with heart failure and kidney failure. She needed dialysis but the family decided they didn't want any extreme measures. These moments feel so surreal. I know with my own father I would do anything to prolong his life.
Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
He’s in Hospice and so far besides being tired he isn’t in any major pains. It’s jusr that I asked Hospice nurse for opinion and they seems of no help, all they do is come to access him and ask if we needed pain medication. I don’t know if Medicaid will pay for any outside service besides hospice.
Both conditions of course are life threatening. The kidney disease can be treated but not cured with dialysis if he is well enough to tolerate it. The CHF also has many treatments and the cardiologist will suggest suitable medications. With the kidney failure he is not a candidate for any kind of surgery. So the good rule of thumb for people in his age group is not to put him through any investigations if he is not going to be a candidate for treatment. If he is ready for hospice they will keep him comfortable and provide lots of support.
Nikki, has your father's cardiologist suggested some kind of active therapy or intervention that you're not sure is a good idea? I did think he had been admitted to hospice, though - what sort of thing is being proposed for his care that's troubling you?
You can't recover from these diseases. Chronic kidney disease cannot be improved. Think of the kidney as a filter. There are starting to be holes in the filter, so it doesn't work as well as it used to. You can't fix it. It can only be replaced. But kidney transplants don't happen for 80 year olds. Just make sure that he's not doing anything to make it worse.
Congestive heart failure also can't be "fixed." But there are more lifestyle things that can be done to improve it. Lose weight, follow diet, no smoking, no salt, take meds as directed.
Talk to the doc about hospice and if it's time. Hospice can be helpful in ensuring that a LO doesn't suffer.
I am sorry to hear about your dad's condition. If your dad is in hospice care it generally means they are not going to treat his CHF and kidney disease, they are only going to offer comfort care. What does your dad want?
I know its really hard when staff seem to be dismissive. I hope you can talk to another staffer or maybe get an outside medical opinion if that will help.
With my own grandmother, she passed at 92 a month after a half with heart failure and kidney failure. She needed dialysis but the family decided they didn't want any extreme measures. These moments feel so surreal. I know with my own father I would do anything to prolong his life.
Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
The CHF also has many treatments and the cardiologist will suggest suitable medications. With the kidney failure he is not a candidate for any kind of surgery. So the good rule of thumb for people in his age group is not to put him through any investigations if he is not going to be a candidate for treatment. If he is ready for hospice they will keep him comfortable and provide lots of support.
Congestive heart failure also can't be "fixed." But there are more lifestyle things that can be done to improve it. Lose weight, follow diet, no smoking, no salt, take meds as directed.
Talk to the doc about hospice and if it's time. Hospice can be helpful in ensuring that a LO doesn't suffer.