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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can A 90 Year Old Dementia Patient Be Eligible For Hospice?

For an individual to be eligible for Hospice Care, I understand they must be diagnosed with a terminal illness, with a projected life expectancy of 6 months or less. Is this accurate? What about an elderly man (90 yrs old) who has increasing dementia & is now unable to care for himself without assistance. He is a DNR and does not want any extraordinary measures to keep him alive. He is lethargic and doesn t want to last for years, and is adamant about no nursing home . We don t want to send him to nursing home just to sustain him. He now lives in assisted living with home care 3x daily. Any chance he would be eligible for hospice?
Tue, 23 Dec 2014
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello and thanks for your question. It depends upon his physical status. Dementia patients can live a very long time even with pretty severe dementia. His doctor would have to assess his physical status and make a determination about his prognosis. If they think he is nearing the time of death then he could qualify for hospice services. Some dementia patients become almost impossible to take care of at home. I understand that he does not want a nursing home but it may become necessary at some time. Some nursing homes have special dementia units which can be very helpful.
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Can A 90 Year Old Dementia Patient Be Eligible For Hospice?

Hello and thanks for your question. It depends upon his physical status. Dementia patients can live a very long time even with pretty severe dementia. His doctor would have to assess his physical status and make a determination about his prognosis. If they think he is nearing the time of death then he could qualify for hospice services. Some dementia patients become almost impossible to take care of at home. I understand that he does not want a nursing home but it may become necessary at some time. Some nursing homes have special dementia units which can be very helpful.