Before You Move Someone at End of Life

If your loved one is in Emergency, and the doctor says the kindest course is comfort care / end-of-life care / palliation, but there are no hospital beds available, do not assume it is safe to simply move them back to their nursing home.

Do not assume that because comfort care / end-of-life care / palliation has started in emergency, it will automatically continue the same way after transfer.

Assuming the home will automatically follow hospital protocol, the doctor’s orders, or the care plan already started in Emergency can be a heartbreaking mistake. Please do not make that mistake.

Before your loved one is moved, GET THE NURSING HOME'S CARE PLAN IN WRITING. Ask the nursing home to confirm exactly how they will continue the comfort-care / end-of-life / palliation plan after transfer, including clear orders, scheduled medications, and who is responsible for making sure there is no gap in care.

If the plan is not clear, DO NOT MOVE YOUR LOVED ONE. A peaceful passing in Emergency is kinder than a transfer back to a nursing home where the comfort-care / end-of-life plan started in Emergency is not followed through immediately after transfer.

A transfer at end of life is not just a move from one building to another. It can be the difference between a peaceful death and a horrifying ordeal.

💛 Everyone Deserves to Pass Away Peacefully

On my mom’s last day, I took her hand, apologized, and promised her that I would do everything I could to make sure no one else has to suffer the way she did.

Because there were no hospital beds available, she couldn’t be transfered to a bed where she would have received the comfort and medication she needed to remain peaceful during her final days. She was moved when she should have been allowed to rest.

Mom always said, “Getting old ain’t for wimps.”

Turns out, dying ain’t for wimps either!

If you have a story or experience that could help others, please email me. Every story may help people better navigate end-of-life care and prevent the system from failing our loved ones. ❤️