We are sharing three signs to help you decide if it is time to consider hospice care and when is hospice recommended? But for patients and families facing the difficult emotional, spiritual, and practical decision of starting hospice care—and importantly, forgoing curative care—the answer is unique for each patient and family and depends on many factors.

We’ll examine when hospice may be recommended and examine in depth some of the signs that indicate hospice care may be the best choice.

When Is Hospice Recommended? A Closer Look at Three Signs

1. The focus has shifted to symptom management and comfort care.

Hospice care is available to people living with an end-stage disease including:

• Cancer
• Pulmonary disease
• ALS
• Heart disease
• HIV-AIDS
• Dementia
• Alzheimer’s

And any other life-threatening illness.

Patients are eligible for hospice care when they meet a set of clinical criteria—established by Medicare and specific to their disease process—with a life expectancy of six months or less, if the disease follows its normal course. 

Hospice care may increase the quality of life and provide comfort to patients with a life expectancy of six months or less, and who are no longer seeking curative, life-prolonging treatment. 

When is hospice recommended? We recommend you call as soon as possible. You or your loved one does not have to be in your final days to receive hospice care. Medicare provides a six-month hospice benefit –not six weeks, not six days– which is a common misconception. 

2. Declining condition

Signs of declining condition may include:

• Loss of interest in normal activity or hobbies
• Losing weight
• Loss of appetite
• Declining appetite
• Pain
• Increased sleeping
• Re-hospitalizations
• Recurrent infections
• Falls
• Decreased mobility
• Functional decline

As part of the body’s process of slowing down, those at the end of life may spend more time sleeping. You may notice that they rest in a chair or bed most of the day. 

If you notice an increase in pain or other difficult symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, trouble swallowing, or pressure ulcers that do not improve with treatment, hospice care may help.

3. Your doctor initiates the conversation based on your declining condition.

To qualify for hospice care you must be referred, and most patients believe they need to wait for a physician to refer them. However, your referral can be made by anyone–including yourself. A hospice care referral can be made by doctors, neighbors, family, and friends. 

Contact Us to Learn More About Additional Signs 

The signs we have listed here are not an exhaustive list and we encourage you to learn more about hospice care. We understand this is a challenging time, with many difficult decisions to make.  We encourage you to reach out to our admission team to help you determine if hospice care is right for you and your loved ones. Contact us to get help.

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Sources:

Medicare, (Official Government Website)  https://www.medicare.gov/