Contact:
Debbie Mosbacher
832.410.3198
debbie@accreditedhospicesofamerica.com
Patients are eligible for hospice care when they have six months or less to live. However, clinicians agree that prognosticating life expectancy can be difficult. There may be many different factors to take into account. If any of the following apply to a patient, it may be time to discuss his or her preferences for end-of-life care:
* You would not be surprised if the patient died within
* The patient has a terminal illness such as end-stage cancer, ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, dementia, COPD, congestive heart failure, renal disease, etc.
* Symptoms of the disease are becoming difficult to manage, or there is a steady or significant decline in the patient’s condition, including:
– Difficult-to-control pain
– Oxygen dependency
– Dramatic weight loss
– Recurrent infections
– Dyspnea and/or dysphagia
– Diminished functional status
– Decline in cognitive function
– Multiple hospitalizations
* When the patient requests no further treatment, is discouraged by current treatment, or asks about hospice
The way you initiate and end-of-life care conversation depends on the patient’s circumstances, your relationship with the individual, and what you feel is the best way to approach the topic. Consider using the following chart to help guide the hospice discussion. For more information please feel free to contact us at accreditedhospicesofamerica.com
