I can speak to this from a personal basis. Under quite a bit of duress from family members, we called in Hospice. We took care of my mother at home...and people thought that Hospice would provide help. And they did provide some needed help when it was easier to call them in rather than take my mother to the doctor BUT
We were lead to believe it would be something different than what it really was.
I remember my mother sitting in the wheelchair,,still cognizant..as she was to the end.. and I think afraid of them. I let my mother know that I would not let her slip through the cracks. Even on the day she died, I told her that all she had to do was tell me that she wanted to go to the hospital and I would see to it that she got there.
I crossed swords with them on more than one occasion..and really got fed up with it. But I was not the primary decision maker.
Yes, they give you enough meds to kill a person..and actually encourage you to do heavy heavy doses..and actually encourage you to let them die as soon as possible...even to the point of not getting proper medical equipment..such as a different oxygen machine and mask to help with air flow. I had to do that.
My mother was not ready to die when hospice was called in..didn’t trust them...and I hated the fact that they encouraged us to help her die faster.
I will never again call in Hospice.
My uncle was in a nursing facility for late-stage Alzeimers. When my mom went to visit him he was medicated to the point of being a zombie...almost coma-like or catatonic. She fought them tooth and nail against medicating him that heavily. I’m sure it was much more convenient for them to just keep him a drugged-up vegetable and if not for my mom, his sister, they would have gotten away with it...as I’m sure they do all the time with patients that do not have loved ones to fight for them. Despicable.
We share some experiences. If you get a chance read the book I mentioned. The author thought the whole thing was just great. He really didnt see what he and the hosptial had done. Interesting bit of brainwashing.
I am hospice trained from twenty five years ago. It has changed dramaticly. I want you to realize that I am all for aleviating discomfort. I do not care if the medications shorten life in the quest for comfort. But that is different from snuffing out life because of a schedule to meet. Or because people cant handle looking at real death in all its noises and length. We do not go quietly and easily into the night.