Alive Hospice

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I have several issues with this Hospice Care, I really don't know where to start...

1. Valerie ordered equipment on Thursday night when my Aunt got admitted into hospice (4/16/15). She ordered 1/2 rails for her bed but full rails were delivered on 4/17 with the rest of the equipment. I started calling at 10 am on Sat to explain why we needed the 1/2 rail and they never got delivered.

2. The wrong comfort kit was delivered. It had my Aunt's name on the address label and the packing slip inside the box but it had a different patients' name on the actual cards that the pills were in. My Aunt had esoph. cancer and could not swallow (she had a j peg). By sheer luck, I didn't need it the day it was delivered. It contained very strong narcotics that could have ended very badly!

3. When the nurse that was assigned to her (Cindy) came she herself was on light duty and had someone else with her to help. Marilyn was very rough with the patient and also me, the care giver.

4. When the time came that my Aunt needed a cath. the nurse said that she needed a small one and the only one they had with them was a medium, instead of getting the size they needed, they used the one they had. I was then told to help hold her leg while she inserted the Cath. (that was too big for her), they DID NOT have the proper equipment to perform this task and I had to provide the scissors, trashbag, flashlight and was told when the bag got 1/2 full of urine, the use an old coffee can to collect it in and emply it in the toilet since we had no need to measure the amount.

5. When I ask the nurse when she would be back to see the patient, I was told that they don't run on a schedule that it could be any time....I was just wanting to know the day and if it would be a morning, afternoon or evening appointment.. they could not or would not provide that information.

6. When the time came to use the comfort kit medication, Cindy and Marilyn both instructed me to put the medication in her mouth, saying that it would obsorb in the gums. My Aunt, knowing that she couldn't swallow, did not want the medication in her mouth and therefore she fought against it. I was instructed to hold her by the face and give her the medication anyway. After my Aunt was upset and I was upset, both of us crying, I ask the nurses why the medication couldn't be given through her feeding tube like we were doing before and they said that if I wanted to, I could that it really didn't matter (why put us throught that if it really didn't matter???)

7. All of the nurses that came out thru the night when we called them, were very patient, considerate and gentle. On the last day of her life, at our request, a new nurse, Sarah, was assigned and she was very gentle and compassionate. But while Sara was here, Cindy and Marilyn both stopped in without notice and apparently had not been told they had been dismissed as my Aunt's primary nurses.

8. Finally, all of the hugs, pats on the back, and saying we were doing a good job, can not undo all that was done wrong to my Aunt and our Family..We will not recommend this Hospice to anyone else.