care options -hospice
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Written by two hospice nurses, and recommended to us by another, it's a special book that provides great insight and perspective on the dying process.
This site answers both patient and caregiver questions in a simple and straightforward manner.
Is It Time For Hospice?
A General Guide to Hospice Eligibility
How do you know if it’s time for hospice care? Certainly you’ll need to talk with your parent’s doctor, but we found this guide at homecarehospice.com that we thought was helpful, and a good place to start.
Here are some signs to watch for:
Has the patient:
Experienced noticeable weight loss?
Started feeling weaker or more tired?
Noticed shortness of breath, even while resting?
If you answered YES to four or more of these questions, it is likely that the patient qualifies medically for hospice.
How do you know if it’s time for hospice care? Certainly you’ll need to talk with your parent’s doctor, but we found this guide at homecarehospice.com that we thought was helpful, and a good place to start.
Here are some signs to watch for:
Has the patient:
- Been hospitalized or taken to the emergency room several times during the past 6 months?
- Been making more frequent phone calls to physicians?
- Been taking medication to lessen physical pain?
- Been spending most of the day in a chair or bed?
- Fallen several times over that past 6 months?
- Needed help from others for:
- Bathing
- Cooking
- Eating
- Dressing
- Getting out of bed
- Walking
If you answered YES to four or more of these questions, it is likely that the patient qualifies medically for hospice.
Here’s an idea from the FDA: When the doctor is writing out a prescription, ask to have the name spelled out, and write it down, along with the dosage directions, right there in the doctor’s office. Take these notes with you to the pharmacy to prevent any mistakes that might possibly result from the pharmacist’s not being able to decipher the doctor’s handwriting.
"A Humorist Illuminates the Blessings of Hospice" by Jane E. Brody, The New York Times
