EXPERT
Dr. Jigar Virenbhai Joshi, MD
Internist
Dr. Jigar Joshi is a board certified hospice and palliative medicine physician with primary specialty of internal medicine practicing in Chicago, IL. Dr. Joshi specializes in the medical treatment of adults who have terminal illness(s) from pain and other symptom management, to planning and implementing goals of care for individual health given medical condition, providing compassionate end of life care and caring for families after the loved one has made their final journey.
18 years
Experience
Dr. Jigar Virenbhai Joshi, MD
- Des Plains, IL
- Seth GS Medical College, Mumbai, India
- Accepting new patients
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How can I manage my father's temper with Alzheimer's?
Taking care of people suffering from dementia can physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially affect the care givers. Highly recommend to reach out to his primary care doctor, READ MORE
Taking care of people suffering from dementia can physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially affect the care givers.
Highly recommend to reach out to his primary care doctor, geriatrician, or neurologist to learn about available resources and obtain support for your self.
Highly recommend to reach out to his primary care doctor, geriatrician, or neurologist to learn about available resources and obtain support for your self.
How do you know if an antidepressant is working for an elderly patient?
Due to various reasons, it can be difficult to observe/recognize the effects of antidepressants. Few of the many reasons include there many types of depression, many groups of READ MORE
Due to various reasons, it can be difficult to observe/recognize the effects of antidepressants. Few of the many reasons include there many types of depression, many groups of depression medications, every individual may show different signs/symptoms of depression, every person can respond differently to different medications, other medical conditions, other medications, and onset of effect of antidepressants can take many weeks to show any signs. Please reach out to the doctor who provided with antidepressant for your father to learn specifics in relation to your father's case.
How do doctors test for geriatric depression?
There are various scales available to screen and diagnose depression.
Is hospice anesthesia still given with the overwhelming amount of people dying?
By hospice anesthesia, do you mean palliative sedation? Palliative sedation is usually the last resort in case the patient's symptoms are not resolved in spite of multiple lines READ MORE
By hospice anesthesia, do you mean palliative sedation? Palliative sedation is usually the last resort in case the patient's symptoms are not resolved in spite of multiple lines of treatment. As we are evolving with improved symptom management approaches, the need for palliative sedation is significantly declining. Of note, the last observed case of palliative sedation for me was about 6 years ago.
Why is the catheter causing infection for my dad?
Any foreign body can increase the risk of infection. There could be many additional factors contributing to recurrent infections. Please reach out to your father's physician with READ MORE
Any foreign body can increase the risk of infection. There could be many additional factors contributing to recurrent infections. Please reach out to your father's physician with your concerns and discuss further a management plan.
Why is anesthesia dangerous for the elderly?
With increasing age, in the elderly, the risk for anesthesia complication increases. It also depends upon the type of procedure, type of anesthesia, and many other factors that READ MORE
With increasing age, in the elderly, the risk for anesthesia complication increases. It also depends upon the type of procedure, type of anesthesia, and many other factors that need to be clarified. It is recommended to make sure anyone undergoing surgery/anesthesia make every effort to learn the risks and benefit of the procedure from the doctor planning to do the procedure.
Why does my dad keep getting a cough in the ICU?
Developing cough during hospitalization and ICU stay depends upon a multitude of factors. Recommend to discuss with an ICU physician to explain the specifics of your father's condition. READ MORE
Developing cough during hospitalization and ICU stay depends upon a multitude of factors. Recommend to discuss with an ICU physician to explain the specifics of your father's condition.
How can a patient be kept happy in a hospital environment?
Spending a substantial part of your life in the hospital with significant illness could be very stressful. Living away from home and family may contribute as well. It would be READ MORE
Spending a substantial part of your life in the hospital with significant illness could be very stressful. Living away from home and family may contribute as well. It would be important to establish if this is part of natural grief of going through so much or if this is true depression. Recommend to reach out to her primary doctor. Based on your primary physician's observation, may involve additional specialists as necessary.
Is there a way to prevent skin dryness in the hospital atmosphere?
Regular application of body lotion/emollients, if his condition permits, may be helpful.
How can I prevent bed sores for my bed ridden father?
Turning every 1-2 hours, applying barrier cream in the high pressure areas where there is no ulcer, and regular wound care per wound care team for existing wounds.
Can an artificial food pipe cause an internal injury?
Please reach out to your mother's primary doctor or GI doctor for further steps.
Can a palliative care specialist help with my father's depression?
Palliative care team specializes in managing symptoms for terminal illnesses. Recommend reaching out to his primary care doctor for further guidance.
How can one prevent bacterial infection in a hospital environment?
Any foreign bodies/tubes in our bodies do increase the risk for infection. Please reach out to your primary physician and lung doctors to learn more specifics in regards to your READ MORE
Any foreign bodies/tubes in our bodies do increase the risk for infection. Please reach out to your primary physician and lung doctors to learn more specifics in regards to your mother's case.
What is end of life care?
End of life care is usually offered to people with a terminal health condition which is not curable and/or continues to worsen in spite of optimizing the management plan. Recommend READ MORE
End of life care is usually offered to people with a terminal health condition which is not curable and/or continues to worsen in spite of optimizing the management plan. Recommend speaking to your primary care physician or palliative care physician to resolve your questions with the specifics of your father's case.
Under what circumstances does the hospital turn off the ventilator for a patient?
In the light of medical condition of your father, if it is determined that the scope of meaningful recovery may be less likely to be achieved, then hospital teams may recommend READ MORE
In the light of medical condition of your father, if it is determined that the scope of meaningful recovery may be less likely to be achieved, then hospital teams may recommend you to consider removal of life-sustaining treatments in order to focus on comfort care and allowing the natural process. Please share your concerns with the hospital team.
How can a palliative care specialist help my father suffering from cancer?
Palliative care would focus on providing care to improve symptoms for your father. They will also provide support to your father and caregivers to guide all through the progression READ MORE
Palliative care would focus on providing care to improve symptoms for your father. They will also provide support to your father and caregivers to guide all through the progression of disease. They will also be able to provide smooth transition to hospice services. Recommend to reach out to primary care physician to obtain a palliative care consult.
My father is 78 years old and has been detected with colon cancer. Given his age, we are not sure what's next.
It is a good idea to receive a second, maybe third opinion. At the same time, "to get as many second opinions as possible" may lead to a waste of valuable limited time. Treating READ MORE
It is a good idea to receive a second, maybe third opinion. At the same time, "to get as many second opinions as possible" may lead to a waste of valuable limited time. Treating the cancer or not treating the cancer needs to be decided based on risks and benefits of the treatment. Recommend to plan further course based on current quality of your father's life. For further guidance, reach out to his primary doctor and maybe consider a palliative care consult.
Are hospice patients still being treated during covid-19?
If I understand your question correctly, you mean to ask, "Are hospice services still available?" "Due to COVID-19, is there any changes with how Hospices provide care to their READ MORE
If I understand your question correctly, you mean to ask, "Are hospice services still available?" "Due to COVID-19, is there any changes with how Hospices provide care to their patients?"
I work at an organization that is largest independent hospice provider in the country, operating in over 14 states. We have a dedicated COVID-19 task force that works day and night to ensure that patients and families still come first. We provide ongoing education to our staff on regular bases to keep them updated about national and regional protocol changes around COVID-19. To overcome visitation restrictions, we have started utilizing technology to our advantage. currently we provide patient evaluation using video conference or telephonic calls. We work with the teams at Nursing homes, Assisted living facilities, senior living facilities, and hospitals to collaborate providing appropriate care planning. There are many more measures that we are taking on day by day bases and even case by case bases to ensure we are doing our best today and even better tomorrow.
I work at an organization that is largest independent hospice provider in the country, operating in over 14 states. We have a dedicated COVID-19 task force that works day and night to ensure that patients and families still come first. We provide ongoing education to our staff on regular bases to keep them updated about national and regional protocol changes around COVID-19. To overcome visitation restrictions, we have started utilizing technology to our advantage. currently we provide patient evaluation using video conference or telephonic calls. We work with the teams at Nursing homes, Assisted living facilities, senior living facilities, and hospitals to collaborate providing appropriate care planning. There are many more measures that we are taking on day by day bases and even case by case bases to ensure we are doing our best today and even better tomorrow.
Is hospice the right thing to do?
The question is, what makes him want to be in the hospital room? The primary question we need to ask him is what is most important to him. What is that provides meaning to his READ MORE
The question is, what makes him want to be in the hospital room? The primary question we need to ask him is what is most important to him. What is that provides meaning to his life? Are there any fears related to his health decline or even death. There are many misconceptions about hospice services. It is observed that those who have utilized hospice services have more than likely expressed wish to have enrolled in the hospice services earlier than they did. Please request for at least a palliative care consult. If palliative consultation is not available for any reasons, then most hospice organizations do provide information sessions to walk you through the benefits of hospice services.
I hope this is helpful.
I hope this is helpful.
How long are patients usually in hospice care?
Per CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services):
"An individual is considered to be terminally ill if the medical prognosis is that the individual’s life expectancy is 6 months READ MORE
Per CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services):
"An individual is considered to be terminally ill if the medical prognosis is that the individual’s life expectancy is 6 months or less if the illness runs its normal course."
"Predicting of life expectancy is not always exact. The fact that a beneficiary lives longer than expected in itself is not cause to terminate benefits."
Other insurances usually follow CMS guidelines for determining eligibility for hospice. There is no finite limitation to duration of hospice services. In the beginning, 2 physicians and, after enrolling to hospice, 1 physician needs to certify for the eligibility of hospice services on regular bases. There are guidelines and clinical criteria to determine eligibility. They are reviewed in relation to patients health condition/decline with the help of an interdisciplinary team. If the patient continues to meet the criteria, they would continue to receive hospice services. If the patient's health does get better than originally anticipated, they are discharged (or graduated) out of hospice.
Hope this is helpful.
"An individual is considered to be terminally ill if the medical prognosis is that the individual’s life expectancy is 6 months or less if the illness runs its normal course."
"Predicting of life expectancy is not always exact. The fact that a beneficiary lives longer than expected in itself is not cause to terminate benefits."
Other insurances usually follow CMS guidelines for determining eligibility for hospice. There is no finite limitation to duration of hospice services. In the beginning, 2 physicians and, after enrolling to hospice, 1 physician needs to certify for the eligibility of hospice services on regular bases. There are guidelines and clinical criteria to determine eligibility. They are reviewed in relation to patients health condition/decline with the help of an interdisciplinary team. If the patient continues to meet the criteria, they would continue to receive hospice services. If the patient's health does get better than originally anticipated, they are discharged (or graduated) out of hospice.
Hope this is helpful.
