Hernando-Pasco Hospice

BarbaraLinFL

Initially, our experience with HPH was awesome, completely awesome. And let me say at the top of this, his home health nurse has ALWAYS been incredible. She was Godsend to my father and my family and we love, value and respect her and always will. None of the negative comments have anything to do with her. As I said, initially his care was awesome. My parents received phone calls about one time a week to see if there was anything they needed for my dad's care. Everyone on his initial team was kind, friendly and respectful of not only my dad but also of my mom and we were all very happy for that. It made it easier for us. THEN.......about a month ago, his care was (for a reason not satisfactorily explained to any of us) switched to the Topaz team and, dear sweet Jesus did the quality of services provided (again, not by his nurse) take a nosedive straight into the toilet. My parents never received another call asking if they needed anything. Ruth and her assistant were incredibly, insanely rude to my mother (and my mom would probably play devil's advocate for Hitler if she could so if mom says she encountered rudeness, they must have been REALLY rude to her) and acted like she (Ruth) had a right to my parents' time, showing up without an appointment, etc. On Friday, my parents were told my father was being discharged from hospice care "because his numbers (blood test) were good." I know someone whose "numbers were good" and they were discharged and turned loose on society with walking pneumonia so I'm really not interested in only numbers. I found out via a phone call this morning that the doctor overseeing my father's care (and subsequent discharge) had NEVER EVEN SEEN MY FATHER. Not one time. I used to work for a doctor and if he had made recommendations about a patient's care without EVER seeing that patient he would have lost his license. I plan on making that my next project. My father is 87. He can hardly walk, cannot stand up on his own, is prone to falling, is suffering a severe depression (which has now been exacerbated by his discharge from Hospice care) and is refusing to eat at times. But his numbers are good so he can just go suck an egg I guess. As I said, I had a phone call with a case manager this morning (irritating because I requested to speak with the administrator...and this person told me she didn't have supervisor but admitted she didn't sign her own checks so she does have a supervisor) and this person attempted to use verbal gymnastics with me to avoid directly answering ANY of my questions. It took me five minutes to find out the doctor had NEVER seen my father. My dad was just some pieces of paper to him and the other members of the committee, except my dad's nurse. I wouldn't let these people (except his home health nurse, that is, we love her to pieces) provide care to one of my cats. The Topaz team is, for the most part, completely incompetent and irresponsible to make life and death decisions without ever even seeing the patient. Oh. Here's a kicker. They provided my dad with an elevated toilet seat which they are now taking back. Let me ask anyone reading this: how would YOU feel about YOUR loved having to use a USED toilet seat instead of a new one? Personally, I find it revolting and disgusting and I hope my dad sends his off with a nice, big mess and I hope Ruth has to clean it up. Perhaps the doctor and his numbers can help. Now, I am off to call the medical board to see how THEY feel about a doctor making medical decisions without ever having seen the patient even a single time. Positively revolting. I wish I could give zero stars. So disgusted with these people. I'll move to Pasco and provide care before I will ever let them near either one of my parents again.

Thanks for your valued help

Sadly, for the second time in the past year, we have had to call on this wonderful agency to assist us in keeping our terminally ill loved ones at home, rather than entering a care facility. If not for the professional, skilled and compassionate care provided by HPH Hospice, we would have had to remove our loved ones from the family home that they so wanted to be in. The care provided by these folks was so very valuable, not only to the patient, but also the caregiver in the home. Their visits, support and empathy helped us face each day without feeling so overwhelmed and alone. We could not have succeeded in honoring our loved ones wishes to stay home if it were not for the help from this outstanding agency.