Rolling with the Punches: Caring for My Grandmother Through Hospice

Do you ever have a period in life where you feel like you can’t catch a break?

That is the period of life I am currently experiencing right now.

Last week, I received a call that my grandmother had fallen and potentially fractured her ribs while in her nursing home.

We had started her on hospice in July after a fall that required stitches. In July, hospice began prescribing her comfort care, and in her case, that consists of Lorazepam and Morphine due to her pain and agitation. She was expected to be bed-bound after that initial fall, so I was a little confused when we visited. She was in the common area, and while she wasn’t walking around, I thought this was a sign of improvement.

In light of recent events and her subsequent fall last week, hospice had advised the nursing home to continue with her prescribed comfort care medications.

The night med tech called me and stated that Grandma was in pain and should go to the hospital. I asked if she had given her morphine for her pain, as hospice had evaluated her already. Grandma is 85 years old, so hospitalization is not beneficial to her.

The med tech informed me that she had not administered the medication and thought I should have the EMS call out to evaluate her. I declined to do so at that time and asked that she be given her…