My mother was intebated after an Acute episode. Once she stabilized, she was extubated but aspirated before leaving the hospital. She is now in an LTAC with a treach and a very strong desire to live. She has weaned off the vent multiple times but had setback causing complications before we have been able to transition her to a home healthcare assisted living situation like she wants. She now has renal failure and has been on the vent for a year. She has been able to be off the vent completely for up up to week at a time and more prolonged periods with a bipap at night. She was able to talk with TBar and go for wheelchair rides and beat me at cards. She is alert and able to communicate her wishes to continue fighting for her life, but without the help of a specialty care hospital, we are doomed to certain failure. I only recently realized there was even such a thing as a specialty hospital and despite the low odds, I want to try to find one that will accept her. Is there an age limit for admissions to specialty care hospitals vent warning programs?
What do you mean by “specialty hospital “? Do you mean a skilled rehab facility that accepts ventilator patients as chronic care? If she is in a hospital center now and haven’t been able to be weaned off the vent I am thinking she won’t be weaned off in a “specialty hospital” as I’ve not heard of this.
One huge challenge is your mom’s ability to use her diaphragm muscles to breath in and out sufficiently. After 1+ year of the ventilator performing breathing for your mother it will be difficult to recondition those muscles to be able to perform deep inspiration and expiration.
If I were you I would find a SNF that takes trachs/vent patients as this is a higher level of skilled nursing.
It may not be feasible to be able to provide care to her at home while actively needing a ventilator.
Good luck to you, this is so complicated.