AboutPaula Damgaard Expertise I can offer families and caregivers non-diagnostic answers to questions regarding the disease. I travel around the state giving courses on Alzheimer`s disease for nurses and CNA`s.
Experience
Past/Present clients I have coordinated Alzheimer's Clinical drug trials since 1987. I have coordinated the Memory Disorders Clinic since it's inception 1994. I also have personnal experience from caring for my mother who died of AD 5/2000 and presently from caring for my mother in law who was diagnosed in March 2000.
Question My father had a heart attack in 1999, and was diagnosed with demetia at that time. He was 75. Dad is now 85, and is in a care facility. He may have demetia, or Alzheimers or both. I have not been able to get a full description of the current status of his his illness. He is unable to utter more than a few words at a time, he no longer recognizes anyone, and is unable to walk without assistance. He can sometimes feed himself, but othertimes does not appear to recognize what his food is for. He is incontient. I guess my question is, how long can we expect that he will live? Should we look into hospice, or do we wait until he is completely unable to move or eat? If hospice would make him move comfortable, I'd like to ask for it. He has large purple spots all over his arm that look pretty painful. The employees seem to be doing a very good job with him at the facility he's at, but the staff are caretakers, not nurses, so I'm not getting a read on his condition. Is there a particular signpost I should be watching for for hospice?
Answer In the state of Virginia where I live, someone in your father's condition would qualify for Hospice. Hospice considers Alzheimer's/Dementia to be a progressive degenerative disease with the endpoint of death, so they step in early and help the families. The families have to agree that they only want comfort care for their loved one and that they will not treat any diseases that present themselves, like pneumonia, urinary tract infections, etc.
I am not sure what the policy is where you live or where your dad is, but I would definitely call them and ask! Nothing lost by asking! I hope they can help you!
Paula
