Written by Larry Kellerman (MSA Coalition Board of Directors and Support Line volunteer)
I remember the day as if it was yesterday. My wife’s physical condition due to the neurodegenerative disease multiple system atrophy (MSA) was such she could no longer make it to the doctor’s office for a checkup and her doctor had said, “I’ll do a house call.” As several of my wife’s friends stood by the bed and visited, the wonderful doctor who had cared for her for over three years pulled up in front of the house and walked up the driveway.
At the end of her hour-long examination and the ensuing discussion, Dr. P stood up and said “I think it’s time to get hospice here to help both of you.” She left that August 4th with assuring words that we both would have much needed support soon. Three days later we had our first visit by the hospice nurse and by the end of the visit had been given a glimpse of the challenges and benefits of hospice care.
When it’s time to consider hospice care in multiple system atrophy
Hospice care comes at a time in a patient’s life when he/she is not expected to live beyond six months, either because of disease prognosis or the patient choosing to reject a lifesaving treatment. Hospice care is provided by a team and part of that team’s mission is to support the goal of the highest quality of life possible for the patient. In the end hospice care is vital when caring for a loved one who has chosen to stay at home during those last months.
Once hospice has been certified, identifying a good hospice provider is important. In our case the doctor recommended a provider and we stayed with them until the end. There have been individuals who have called the Multiple System Atrophy Coalition call line to discuss their hospice experience and told me they decided to change providers. The goal should remain the same no matter the hospice provider: the best quality of life (QoL) possible for the patient.
Hospice is a team effort
They bring to the team the nurse, support staff, a doctor, a social worker and specialists if necessary; you bring your own skill set and all the friends and family members who support the patient. What I found in the six months we had hospice staff at our house was a good integration between their team and my wife’s friends. In part it was because all of those involved saw what caregiving for an MSA patient did to the health of the caregiver; in part it was because everyone made a real attempt at being supportive of each other.
Hospice staff members are not perfect. You do want to be very aware of what is going on when they are at the house. There are many examples that can be provided by other caregivers, but I can share one example that illustrates potential issues surrounding hospice care.
There came a day when my wife needed to have a catheter inserted and two hospice nurses arrived to do so. As one nurse bent over to insert the catheter her long hair fell over the pubic area and needed to be brushed out of the way. It was the first catheter for my wife and within a few days she had a full blown urinary tract infection (UTI). I called the hospice doctor and told him what happened. He said that is not acceptable and the next time make sure the nurse understands that. So, guess what? A couple of weeks later the catheter needed to be changed and the same nurse arrived, again with her hair down and loose. I had to tell her to put it up, which she did and then completed her task.
I found hospice staff do listen to the caregiver and friends. To address the issue above they allowed me to sit in on a weekly staff meeting and discuss it and a couple of others that had arisen. In the short time I was there they listened and the doctor on the staff reiterated how important it is to follow best practices.
Hospice CNAs are quite important to the overall care of the patient. It is the CNA who helps the caregiver give the patient showers, clean and dress any wounds or open sores and keep the patient’s immediate environment as clean and orderly as possible. The several CNAs who rotated through our house for the six months they served us did a very good job being my “right hand person.”
More importantly, the CNA who had the most profound impact on my wife and me made a special effort to help her feel as much like a woman as possible. Early in the disease progression I had learned how to put earrings in pierced ears and brush hair, and even practiced a few times putting on fingernail polish – not so good at that! The CNA came in and immediately understood there’s more to being a woman than earrings and brushed hair. She would brush and style the hair, put on lipstick and paint her fingernails for those days when visitors would come over or when my wife had a rough night. She did her best to ensure the “best QoL” mantra was followed.
All through this time the hospice social worker and nurse made their regular visits. The nurse’s job was to check vitals and any sores or injuries the patient suffered and ensure there was the needed supply of medications. The nurse would order the meds and bring them to the house, allowing me the opportunity to stay home and be with my wife. The social worker was also a regular and her goal was to help us with our bad days and to be another caring individual with whom we could share those feelings that arise when dealing with a terminal disease known as “Parkinson’s on steroids.” We both looked forward to her visits.
As I noted above, hospice is certified when the doctor ascertains the patient has about six months to live. Sadly in our case, entry into hospice turned on the death clock and six months to the day my wife passed. That day the CNA was not scheduled so it was just a good friend and I who were there as my wife passed peacefully. I immediately called the nurse and within 15 minutes he was there to certify death. Hospice staff called the funeral home to come pick up her body and ensure all her final wishes were met. The social worker arrived to make sure I was doing okay and see if she could be of help. To the end of this six-month saga hospice served us well.
Hospice can benefit both the patient and the caregiver
Caring for a terminally ill patient is difficult no matter the disease. In the case of MSA, a relentless and devastating disease, caregiving is 24/7 during the last months of life. Support both emotionally and medically becomes so important to the health of both the patient and the caregiver. Hospice care can be an integral part of that support. I hope your experience is a good one and encourage you to share your story so that others can understand the positive role hospice care plays. With a goal of “best quality of life possible” hospice can help attain it. I hope your hospice experience meets that goal for your loved one.
