If four or more of the following statements are true, you may be eligible for hospice care. Call Community Hospice at 209.578.6340 to learn about hospice services and the many ways that hospice can help you and your loved ones at this important time. I have disease or injury that cannot be cured. I spend most of the day in bed or in a chair. I have to take pills for very bad physical, body pain. I have made a lot of trips to the emergency room in the past 6 months. My doctor has told me that my life expectancy is limited. I need help from other people with my daily activities like taking a shower, getting dressed, eating, cooking, walking, or getting out of bed. I have started feeling more tired and weak. Without trying to, I have lost a lot of weight in the last six months. Hospice is a choice for individuals with a life-limiting illness when comfort and quality of life is the goal, not curative treatment.
Questions To Ask Your Physician:
Be proactive and have a candid conversation
Patients with a life-threatening illness, or their caregivers, should determine
if the treatment plan being presented by their healthcare provider will interfere with the patient’s goals and values.
Questions may include:
How far has the disease progressed?
What is the prognosis?
What are all the treatment options available?
What is the probability the treatment will be a success?
What is the impact of the treatment on the patient and caregiver?
What is the impact on quality of life during treatment? After treatment?
How can I avoid or relieve my symptoms?
How can I relieve pain?
What care options are available that focus on comfort?
Ultimately, healthcare decisions are personal. Consideration must be given to what is gained by treatment and at what cost.