My dad (84) suffered from two strokes last Fall. He's made a fairly good recovery, but still has some cognitive challenges (which at this point we expect may be permanent). He fell last Friday and hit his head. Hard. He had a minor brain bleed, so the hospital wanted to keep him for a few days for observation. He was doing really well - a bit lethargic, but engaging in conversations, eating well, watching his favorite TV shows, walking around the whole hospital floor with the PT, then on the day of discharge he had a sudden onset of delirium. He's essentially been in what seems like a deep sleep now for 3.5 days. We can't rouse him. Repeat CT, MRI, chest X-rays, bloodwork, urinalysis all clear. Re-evaluated his meds. Evaluated for seizure activity. In short, we can't find an underlying cause. Has anyone dealt with this and any advice on what has worked to re-orient them? He's so weak and small - I can't imagine he can go on for much longer in this state :( We're trying to bring things he's familiar with, play familiar music, talk to him to let him know he's safe and cared for, etc. My cousin who works in palliative said we could try to bring him home (we'd have to hire an ambulance transport), but I don't think any of us are equipped to provide the level of care he needs...
I'm with Alva below in now bringing hospice on board so your dad can live out his days in peace and comfort.
And you can have hospice care at home if you so choose, but perhaps it's best to have your dad live out his days in either a hospice home or nursing facility.
I'm sorry that you're having to go through this with your dad.
This doesn't, I don't THINK have a whole lot to do with hospital delirium which presents as violent acting out and marked confusion. This is sounding like failure to thrive. Surely the family now has some idea what Dad would have wanted if he is in end of life stages, because someone is going to come at you with tube feeding decisions soon. That will prolong life at the cost of possible aspiration pneumonia, beds sores, sepsis and eventual a torment of a death.
Family should get together with MPOA and decide who will act for Dad now he is unable to act for himself.
I wish you the best.