Mental Status Change in Hospice Patients: What to Do and Not to Do

Mental status changes in hospice patients are extremely common. Yet are they always due to disease progression?If a patient suddenly gets confused or sleeps all day, what should you do? Should you counsel the family that this is normal? Order testing? Assess the medication list?Family members sometimes worry that sending their loved one with advanced cancer, dementia, or other serious illness to hospice will mean that they'll just get morphine but no medical attention. Let's make sure that this stereotype isn't accurate.Look out for premature closure and keep the patient/family goals in mind.DeliaDelia Chiaramonte, MDwww.integrativepalliative.comWhole person care for people with serious illness using all the tools that workCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One’s Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com  Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/