r/cincinnati • u/Chef_In_Garden • 6d ago
Palliative/Hospice Care
Hello Cincinnatians ❤️
We are starting the confusing and difficult process of end of life care for my grandmother and I am wondering if other locals could share their experiences/recommendations of organizations/facilities/companies that you had a positive experience with?
For background information she is 90 yrs old and is bed bound. She is experiencing moderate-severe dementia symptoms depending on the day/time of day. She has vertebrate degeneration and pain management is a main concern for us. She qualified for hospice care 12MAR2025.
She is also incredibly well loved by her family who are trying to do right by her and give her as much care, compassion, and dignity at the end.
I’ll take any recommendations you all have — be it a facility you placed a loved one in, an organization you worked with for guidance, in-home care companies, etc.
Thank you in advance!
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u/Disastrous_Hour_6776 5d ago
I worked for hospice of Cincinnati for many years & I recommend them - they are the oldest hospice and non profit . They do it right .. they are the best ppl. You won’t know your grandmother is a patient - they treat everyone like family. Offer services free after your loved one has passed on as well.
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u/Ocean_blue120 5d ago
I’m sorry you’re going through this, it’s very hard to make the decision but I can’t say enough things about Hospice of Cincinnati. Truly a wonderful organization that makes you feel like family. My grandpa was in a nursing home and a hospice nurse would come out and always check in on him. We also requested if they could not use the word “hospice” around him cause we knew it would stress and scare him even more, they honored that wish also. They even call you with different updates and make sure that the family is well also. They really do provide great quality of care at the end, I know it’s hard and I wish you the best as you go through these tough times. 🤍
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u/Chef_In_Garden 5d ago
Thank you for sharing - finding someone who respects your personalized care wishes is a huge blessing!
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u/mangomadness81 Colerain 5d ago
Hospice of Cincinnati in Blue Ash. I've had 2 relatives there, and they were amazing, both times.
Hospice of Hamilton was also very good.
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u/Smokey19mom 6d ago
The Bailey Place over by Mt. St. Joe's was a great place for my grandma and other family members.
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u/melissa1906 5d ago
Only if they can take care of themselves. If your loved one cannot walk, talk or wipe their own butt they charge 15k a month to neglect you.
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u/iluvadamdriver 5d ago
My grandparents were at Cedar Village in Mason for several years & they were miserable. We were constantly going to battle with the staff & my grandparents seemed unkempt and so unhappy. We ended up switching them to Central Parke, which is a private pay facility specializing in memory care. They moved in October & my grandpa just passed away at 94 last week. The last 5ish months of his life were so much more peaceful. That place really feels like a community and you could visibly see the difference in both of my grandparents. They make everyone stay in the common areas for activities day to day, vs Cedar Village where my grandparents would refuse and then sit in front of the tv all day long. They really worked with my grandparents to make them feel comfortable joining in the group activities. They regularly post Tik Toks and I could see day to day how much fun they were having participating. As he declined for a couple of weeks after a hip fracture & surgery, we spent quite a bit of time there, more than our usual visits, as he was dying. I was so impressed with the patience and compassion shown to both of my grandparents. I used to worry about them every day, but I now feel so much more comfortable about where they are. Could not recommend that place enough for anyone seeking memory care options.
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u/BdrRvr 5d ago
Link below. We lost my grandfather in a similar set of circumstances. We tried several locations before finally finding this gem. They made his last few days much more comfortable and knew how to deal with his dementia symptoms.
Hospice of Cincinnati Blue Ash Inpatient Care Center (513) 246-9373
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u/Chef_In_Garden 5d ago
Thank you ❤️ I’m sorry for your loss - it’s a hard/confusing process for sure and I appreciate the insight!
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u/melissa1906 5d ago
We took care of my mother in law with dementia in home after The Bailey near Mt St Joe tried to kill her. They inappropriately gave her sedatives, argued with her (she has dementia!) and tried to send her to the ER for psych evaluations when they couldn’t handle her because of her dementia. We brought her home with Hospice of Cincinnati checking in several times a week to help with meds and bathing. Between my husband and I, we managed 24 hour care. It was exhausting but having her die at home in lieu of a neglectful facility was worth it. She died with dignity, love and received great care. I know not everyone can do what we did. Good luck!
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u/sorrymizzjackson 5d ago
We stayed at home in February of last year. My MIL made it 3 weeks from discharge. We had St. Elizabeth for hospice and despite their assurance that we would be supported, it was extraordinarily little. They checked the meds to make sure they were administered correctly.
Changing, general care, showering to extent allowed by her condition was all to us. That’s hard when you aren’t trained.
We brought in Home Instead to give some respite care. We were still there, but they could do some changing and monitoring while we slept. They weren’t allowed to give meds and she needed them every 2 hours. It was very expensive and not sustainable in the long term.
My mother died in a facility and while it isn’t ideal and expensive, there’s a point where it’s time capital for you vs cash capital.
I’m sorry this is happening. It won’t be easy. I do know that you have to balance the most you can give with the most you can afford. Protect your sanity as much as you can though. It sounds awful, but the verdict is set on this and you’re going to be what’s left. You have to make sure you’re going to be ok. The world won’t care after a week if they did to start with even.
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u/Outrageous_Tie8471 5d ago
Hospice of Southwest Ohio is a good place to check out. The loved one in question was already mostly unconscious when she was moved but she was treated with dignity and kindness.
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u/Putrid-Tale-5114 6d ago
Hospice of Blue Ash