We had to puree Mother's food towards the end also. That (or a syringe) is not the same thing as starting a stomach tube, I don't think. Doctor should be able to advise you. When her body starts to shut down she will refuse the food completely.

I was an RN case manager for hospice for five years. My familys said the biggest thing they appreciated was all the teaching i provided and that i was available to ask anything and they had someone to reassure them immediately that they were doing all they could do.

I'm not sure about the feeding tube, but I can tell you that putting my husbands gma on Hospice was the best decision we made. Our Doctor had tried to get us to do it earlier on and told us that some people are on hospice for 2 years. However, I was still unsure as to what they did and kept putting it off. By January, she had forgotten how to drink from a water bottle, hold a cup, feed herself, etc. We called hospice around 1st part of February finally, because she was bedridden and just getting worse by the day. They came to our home, evaluated her and our situation to see if she qualified, which clearly she did, but its protocol. It took them a couple of days to get everything set up in our home, like hospital bed ( which was awesome), bed linens, changing pads, little swabs that moisten the mouth, cream to prevent bedsores, oxygen, etc. All of this was paid for by Medicare, which was great, since we had been purchasing depends like crazy and washing sheets at least twice a day. Also, we spoke with a pastor, social worker and/or her nurses every day. I highly recommend that you contact them. I can assure you that you wont regret it. You are doing a fantastic job, but like me, sometimes we just need that little extra reassurance and support to let us know that we are doing all that we can to be there for our loved ones. Praying for you and your momma!!!

Sounds like youre doing an amazing job @A myALZteam Member. Using a syringe to feed your mother is not anything like tube feedings. It is just like feeding by spoon or a sippy cup and more a convenience for the caregiver. You are doing what is necessary and she will ultimately make the decision for you when she no longer opens her mouth or stops swallowing. Bless you. You can call hospice and they will determine whether she is appropriate to admit to a hospice program. They will provide you with additional support through your journey.

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A myALZte...

I don't have an answer for you but I would like to give you a big hug. I know I will be facing the same situation sooner than later and my mum has made the same request. We had to make the decision to take my dad off life support and the doctor was reluctant to say either way. However he finally said if it was his father he would make the decision to let him go. Your mum isn't quite being tube fed. So it must be a terribly difficult decision. Does she have any quality of life? Or is she suffering by living in her condition? I am so sorry you are facing this now.