How to Choose Hospice Care

When choosing hospice, you are choosing a type of care that specializes in caring for those who are in the last six months of life. It’s an emotional period for anyone, but an important decision that will ensure a loved one will receive the care and comfort they deserve.

According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, only 50.7% of people choose hospice care when they are faced with the possibility of death. But hospice is not only for the dying. Loved ones also benefit from hospice care, as nurses, home health aides, social workers, bereavement counselors and chaplains will support them with education, and emotional & bereavement support through some of the most difficult moments in life.

Hospice care can be provided in the patient’s home, assisted living centers, nursing homes, or an in-patient hospice home.

While all hospices are regulated by the government, each hospice has meaningful differences in personnel, policies and facilities.

Here are some things to consider when selecting hospice care:

Location

Hospice specializes in making the patient feel as comfortable as possible. Care can take place anywhere. Patients can even receive services in their own homes, or wherever they call home – a nursing home, assisted care center, or where they are most comfortable.

Some cases may require more specialized care than others. The patient can also choose to stay in a hospice home that can give them easy, 24-hour access to nurses, medication and medical equipment needed for their comfort.

The hospice team and your physician can discuss the options with you and your family to help determine which might be the best option for your specific situation.

Communication

Pick a hospice service that helps you feel at ease. You are going to have to ask and answer some extremely difficult questions. Death is a tough subject to discuss. Clear, caring commu- nication is absolutely essential.

A quality hospice program will give you all the time and personal attention you need to ease your mind.

Picking a hospice involves having the right feeling. If the hospice staff is personable and makes you feel comfortable, that’s a good sign.

Referrals

Every patient who receives hospice treatment must be qualified by a physician. Usually, this means there is a life expectancy of six months or less.

Since some physicians may hesitate to broach the subject of hospice care, you may need to bring it up yourself. Ask whether hospice care would be appropriate and which services might be most helpful to ease the endof-life process. It is never too early to request a referral visit if hospice care is appropriate for you and your family. In 2018, the National average for days in care for patients receiving service ranged from 1-7 days of care at 27.9% to >180 days at 14.1%. Helping families and physicians to have end of care planning conversations earlier is a goal for hospice to ensure patients and families receive the maximum benefits that they have available.

You can also approach a hospice facility directly to ask about their services. They will help you determine which care is most appro- priate.

Hospice care has been growing since the 1990s. It is possible to die with peace and dignity. Hospice can help make the end-of-life experience a little easier for the patient and their loved ones.