Bed Ridden
Hello. This is my first post. I have an Aunt that lives in North Carolina that has been given 2 weeks to live. Her heart is at 20%. She would desperately like to move to New Mexico to be with her family for the end of life. I've been told by some nurses be prepared to have to care for her in bed. Bed ridden for her final weeks or days. How likely is this? None of the heart failure Googles I've done list Bed Ridden as a possible scenario.
Hi
, First, I wanted to say that I'm very sorry to hear about your Aunt. It sounds like you care about her a lot, and it's very kind of you to want her to be as comfortable as possible in her last days.
Sometimes, when people reach advanced, untreatable stages of their illness, they may be too weak to go about their daily activities and become bedridden. Whether your Aunt will be bedridden will depend on her energy and strength. People living with heart failure often deal with fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath, so it's a possibility that she will be bedridden, but not a guarantee.
How has she been doing these last few days? Is she up and about or has she had some difficulties getting around?
Have you considered hospice care for her? Hospice can be provided in the home so you all can still be with her, and it will ensure that she is comfortable in her last stages of life. This article explains a bit more about hospice and has some resources to find care services. https://heart-failure.net/palliative-care
I hope this was helpful. Our hearts go out to you and your family!
-Jessica, Team Member
