Hospice: Advice on How to Know When It’s Time

You may already know that hospice can improve people’s quality of life when they have a terminal illness. But how do you know when someone’s ready for it?

That’s what a reader in Idaho asked her local paper, the Times-News, about her mother. A hospice manager answers:

First, you would want to talk with your mother and see what she is comfortable doing.

If your mother wants to continue to do treatments for her diagnosis, she may not be ready for hospice care. Also talk to her physician, and see if your mother qualifies for hospice criteria, which are very specific.

Your mother’s physician would need to certify that she has six months or less to live and that she has a life-limiting terminal illness.

The column, “How Should I Know When a Person Is Ready for Hospice Services?,” goes into what to expect from hospice care as well, pointing out that it benefits both the patient and the family.

You may also be interested in:

• Time for Hospice? Don’t Count on Doctor’s Advice, Surgeon Says
• Hospice Not Cut-and-Dry for Dementia Patients: Questions to Ask
• What to Do When a Parent Wants to Die
• How to Talk to Your Aging Parents About Death

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Leigh Ann Otte is a freelance writer who specializes in health and aging issues. She covers finding and paying for senior care for OurParents. If you have any questions about this post or need help finding senior-care options for a loved one, call 1-866-483-4896 to speak with a care advisor in your area.