Should hospices offer respite admissions to patients with motor neurone disease?

The provision of inpatient respite care for patients with motor neurone disease (MND) in hospices is variable. Some institutions are concerned about accepting patients who may need long-term care. Some see 'respite' care as simply a short residential stay with little nursing or medical input being necessary. Others, however, feel that respite offers the potential for palliative care and should be provided within the spectrum of a hospice service. This retrospective study examines that group of MND patients requesting respite care in terms of demographic details, problems identified and medical and nursing interventions made during respite admissions. The results indicate a great need for symptom management in these patients as well as co-ordination of future community care. Most patients were discharged home after respite admissions and the median stay in the hospice (15 days) was identical to that of cancer patients. We conclude that respite admissions to the hospice were valuable both for MND patients and their carers. Units not currently involved in this work may wish to reconsider their position.