This is a very tough situation; both for your mother and for your family. A family meeting with the oncologist concerning the cancer would help to ensure that all of you are on the same page. In a meeting like this, the doctor can answer any specific questions you have regarding the cancer, prognosis, and treatment options. It is more than likely that the doctor will recommend that you not be too aggressive or invasive with treatment; any type of operation or aggressive treatment will cause increased confusion for your mother. If surgery becomes a necessity, be sure you understand the risks involved.

Your doctor can also order hospice services. Hospice not only assists families dealing with a loved one with cancer, but also patients in the late stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Hospice is a wonderful organization that provides support, education, and care for loved ones and families of loved ones going through these difficult diseases. The goal of hospice is to keep your loved one out of the hospital and in her own home; to keep her comfortable and pain free, and to have the best quality of life possible.

Tags: alzheimers, dementia, Hospice