This is a question for Bill but I thought others would be interested in it.
A local support group member contacted me recently. Her mother has had PSP for several years. The mother would like to hasten her own death by not eating or drinking any further. She has been able to communicate this to her daughter. She asked that the daughter make arrangements to spend time with the mother. Basically, the mother wants to plan her own death.
The daughter talked to the hospice agency they’ve had on board for about 8 months about this. The hospice agency RN basically said “we can’t have this conversation with you.” The daughter deduces that the hospice agency can’t be involved in the planning of this or the weighing of this decision but they are willing to be notified once the decision has been made.
Would you say that all or most hospice agencies have the same policy?
The daughter is worried that the hospice agency, upon notification of the mother’s decision, will try to talk the mother out of it. I encouraged the daughter to speak with the highest authority possible at the agency, and communicate that this was the mother’s decision and hospice should not attempt to talk her out of it. Your comments?
Robin