Hospice... saver or killer?

Hospice care is seen for the most part as a great service that offers support for the terminally ill as well as for the family. It is their role to alleviate the patients’ suffering and make all possible to relief the distressing symptoms until the patient dies naturally at their own time.  Families trust that by using hospice care their love ones will suffer less and are in good and caring hands.  Unfortunately, not all professionals working in these facilities are ethical and as humane as they should be.  In the last couple years many articles have been published about euthanasia, this controversial subject became even hotter when it was linked to many hospice care centers in our country. Euthanasia is assisted suicide or death induced with medical assistance.  What makes this practice more terrifying is the fact that these centers are committing the crime without the patients’ approval.

There are multiple filed cases in our country where families are complaining of having their relatives’ death accelerated by inappropriately using sedatives, morphine overdose, and other medications.  For the most part these are patients that are severely disabled and they end up dying dehydrated.  There have been terrible scenarios where the victims are elders that are lucid and regardless they have been euthanized against their will.

These horrifying events have become the nightmare of many seriously ill patients and make the public wonder who to trust and where to look for help.  What can a terminally ill patient do when those who should protect them from a terrible and painful death through their care become their murderer?

For more information about hospice killings check out the website http://www.hospicepatients.org/euth-center.html

Respite Care Drama in California

There have been recent reports about the imminent closing of adult day cares centers in the California area.    Due to the state budget problems, the state is looking forward to cut the $169 million that is annually expended in these respite care centers.  Ironically, this initiative instead of saving money will actually create more expenses to the state as the clients of the 274 daycares that are facing closure, are forecasted to end up impatient in nursing homes and other facilities in as little as six months if they stop receiving the care they are getting at these respite centers.  In others words, the state is shifting the cost from Medi-Cal (which currently is paying for the daycare services) to manage care programs, and by doing that is condemning thousands of elders that are still able to enjoy their home and families to be removed from their environment into impatient forms of long term care.  

After seniors’ protest in front of San Francisco city hall, it is clear that these fragile citizens are ready to stand and fight so their rights under the Americans With Disabilities Act are not violated.  The dilemma has become an important issue for the San Francisco mayoral race, and those who aspire to become majors are debating their initiatives at the rallies.  However; no solution has been achieved and it all will be really determined on Nov 8, when a federal court in Oakland will hold a hearing about the case that has been filed as an effort to cut short the elimination of Medi-Cal financing for the centers.