Hi Springday
NatR has given me a gentle nudge to chip in, here – thanks NatR
To be honest, I have not commented simply because I cannot relate to your experience. I have been a hospice resident support volunteer for 3 years now and I haven’t come across a similar situation. I attribute this to the excellent staff at our hospice. We have about 200 volunteers who come in for hospice shifts and community home visits.
Our hospice has 6 nursing/PSW staff for 10 residents. Even with this excellent staffing ratio, the needs of the residents can exceed the abilities of the staff. When this happens, the staff will ask a volunteer to sit with a resident, to provide company, conversation, to help eat, drink, apply mouth care and any other simple (but necessary) act that we are trained to preformed.
Every hospice, including the one that your mother is in, is dedicated to the comfort and care of each and every resident. You will never get purposeful sub-standard care. It simply goes against every principle that a hospice believes in.
There can sometimes be a misunderstanding or miscommunication regarding the care expected and the care received at a hospice. These issues can ALWAYS be sorted out by having a full discussion with the management/staff/social workers etc at the hospice. All I can say is keep on asking questions until you get the answers that make sense to you, Springday.
I wish you the very best. - eKim