My Mom is 95 and has resided in a private pay ALF for the past 3 years with pretty minimal assistance just meds and putting on/taking off compression stockings. In May she fell and incurred a hair line fracture to her hip, blood on the brain which is expected to reabsorb into her system with time and a deep tissue injury from the fall stage 4 to the sacrum. She was in the hospital for a week, a rehab hospital for 3 weeks and moved to a subacute rehab/skilled facility which she will remain for 100 days anticipated discharge September. She is making some progress but needs 50% help with ADL's cant transfer without assistance is incontinent wound some progress but tailbone is exposed she is on a foley catheter to prevent infection. Mom has no assets left. AL costs $5000 a month in Illinois. I applied last October for dual Medicaid just to have it in place. I got the letter last week and forwarded the necessary paperwork along with a request for a temporary card the rehab/snf where she is at now is doing a wonderful job but they are a CCRC and does not take Medicaid. My Mom wants to go back to her ALF due to state laws they only way she can return to her apartment with a stage 4 pressure wound is on hospice we would have to move her bed out and put a hospital air bed in its place after a we would have to pay the rent but after a resident resides in this facility for 3 years a Benevolent Fund is in place to absorb the higher level of care. I am waiting for the Director to advise me if they will do that, they are dragging their feet. My Mom is 100% mentally with it and is an angel never complains which makes it more emotionally difficult and also has CHF. Most of the Medicaid SNF in this area are awful and the ones with great ratings that I have contacted don't return my calls. She is presently getting wound changes 3 times a day and being turned along with debridement by a wound Doctor. Since I have no experience with hospice would be still be able to be treated for say a UTI and CHF and have wound changes daily? She is not bedridden at this point walking 75 feet with assistance and feeds her self. Any advice would be greatly appreciated its a very difficult journey.
I think that since her AL is willing to have her back with the extra assistance of hospice I would opt for that if there are funds to pay for it, at least on a trial basis. If she is totally out of resources then you may have no choice but one of the medicaid places that will take her.
Treating UTIs, CHF and wound care should all fall under the umbrella of comfort care IF your hospice provider is flexible and agreeable, but I'd want to have it all understood and in writing before any contracts are signed.