Tuesday of this week, my 95 year old mother was taken to the ER, from the nursing home, with 102+ fever, and lung X-ray revealed pneumonia - her first bout. She responded well to the antibiotics, and was released today (Friday) back to the nursing home. She is now on an oral antibiotic for 10 days, and oxygen.
We suspect that this is the beginning of the end, so to speak. From some online research, we also suspect that this will recur, and that she will not respond as well next time to the antibiotics. I understand that this can be a relatively peaceful passing.
Would anyone care to share their experiences with pneumonia in the elderly?
Please feel free to be open and direct, as we are very emotionally prepared for the ultimate outcome. Mom has had no quality of life for the last 2 years. Thank you.
My husband was in hospice care in our home. I was in charge of the drugs he took. I did not give him morphine, although I would have if he were in physical pain. He died in our bedroom, holding my hand. He died of complication of dementia, but the autopsy report said he would have had a heart attack very soon.
Neither of my experiences were remotely like what you describe.
Hard as it is to accept, death is a part of life. All of us will die.
As for this OP, don't give up yet. Elderly people can bounce back quite well from pneumonia. It's good to research options including hospice so you will have the information in case you may need it in the future. For now give her time to recover from this episode and take it from there.
Good luck and I hope she improves.
NoNonsense, why do you think they talk about morphine? Do you think they get some special reward if they can use a lot of it? Do you think they get a kickback? Do you think they are sadistic people? What would their motive be, if it isn't a genuine belief that the morphine would help the patient cope with pain and be more comfortable? The main caregiver or medical POA gets final say about what drugs are used, and it is OK to not take hospice's suggestions.
Anyone with a loved one on hospice care should realize that morphine is one of the drugs available in the program. And that the caregiver or medical POA can decide whether it is used or not.
A person's timetable for passing is going to the be the same whether one uses Hospice or not, it just depends if you want your love ones to pass in comfort using whatever is available, be it morphine or some other pain reducing drug.
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