Hospice for Dementia & Alzheimer's
Caring for patients with dementia can be challenging
Support services for families and caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias can be invaluable in navigating the complex physical and emotional demands of caregiving.
St. Catherine's Healthcare prioritizes compassionate care, respect, and comfort. Our services are customized to meet each patient's unique requirements.
For individuals experiencing the advanced stages of dementia, our hospice care may encompass symptom control, pain management, and an emphasis on maximizing well-being in the remaining weeks or months of life.
Does Your Loved One Have Dementia or Alzheimer’s & Need Hospice?
See how St. Catherine's Healthcare can help
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Alzheimer's disease and other progressive dementias are life-altering and eventually fatal conditions for which curative therapy is not available. Patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s are eligible for hospice care when they show all of the following characteristics:
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Unable to ambulate without assistance
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Unable to dress without assistance
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Unable to bathe properly
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Incontinence of bowel and bladder
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Unable to speak or communicate meaningfully (ability to speak is limited to approximately a half dozen or fewer intelligible and different words)
Thinking of dementia as a terminal illness from which patients will decline over a matter of years, rather than months, allows healthcare professionals to focus explicitly and aggressively on a comfort care plan.
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Aspiration pneumonia
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Pyelonephritis or upper urinary tract infection
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Septicemia
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Decubitus ulcers, multiple, stage 3-4
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Fever recurrent after antibiotics ​
Impaired nutritional status: ​​
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Difficulty swallowing or refusal to eat
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If receiving artificial nutritional support (NG or G-tube, TPN), patient must be exhibiting continued weight loss despite the feedings
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Protein calorie malnutrition:
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Weight loss over 11% or
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BMI<18 or
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Albumin <3.1
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