Five questions to ask before choosing hospice care.

Have you been struggling to decide if hospice care is right for you or your loved one? Hospice care, just like any other medical decision, should be based on the specific needs of the individual patient. Patients whose goals line up with hospice care philosophies often find hope and peace during a very challenging time of life.

Answer these five goal-oriented questions to see if hospice care is the most appropriate solution for your unique situation.

Question 1: Is comfort my primary goal or do I want to continue exploring aggressive medical treatment?

Treatment goals are the center of any conversation between a patient and their medical providers. These goals are results oriented and may not always give sufficient consideration to overall patient comfort. Aggressive treatment may leave patients and their families dealing with harsh side-effects such as pain, nausea, and diminished quality of life.

For many patients, comfort is a primary goal. It provides a physical peace that allows them to achieve other important life goals. Quality time with family, fulfilling life-long dreams, and creating new memories with loved ones can all be achieved when physical comfort is accomplished. Hospice care professionals are highly trained to not only provide physical comfort, but to also address the important emotional and spiritual needs of each individual.

Question 2: Can I best achieve my life goals from the comfort of my home or am I best served by hospitals or curative focused treatment facilities?

Curative focused treatment goals are often best achieved in a facility that can provide critical care and medical support. Although these facilities have advanced medical technology and skilled staff, they can make it difficult for patients to achieve their life goals. From restricted visiting hours to uncomfortable conditions, these facilities may not be the ideal setting for you and your loved ones.

Time is always precious and the quality of that time should be a primary consideration. Hospice treatment at home reduces disruptions, allows family and friends to visit in a comfortable setting, and allows each patient to maximize their time with loved ones. With hospice, patients are able to spend their precious time in the most high-quality setting, the place they call home.

Question 3: Is my goal to be surrounded by family during this stage of life?

Treatment plans can be effective in addressing medical issues, but they often require the patient to be separated and isolated from the friends and family that they love. Facilities must regulate visiting hours, the number and the types of visitors that are allowed in order to protect staff and effectively treat all of their patients. With hospice care, each individual patient is the center of all decisions and their wellbeing is the only consideration.

With treatment at home, the patient and their family can make decisions about who can visit, how long visits should last, and what times are best for loved ones to gather. This home-based model allows the loved ones to play an essential role in patient care. Visitors are not seen as an impediment to care, but rather a critical care giver. Hospice patients and their families often speak of the mutually beneficial relationships that are formed during this precious time. Not only does the patient report greater satisfaction, but the visitors are able to understand how important their relationship is to the entire process.

Question 4: Are my life goals being supported by my current treatment plan or obstructed by the negative side-effects?

It is not uncommon for patients undergoing aggressive medical intervention to report that the treatment is worse than the disease. There are times when curative focused treatments are necessary and appropriate, but when treatment outcomes no longer justify treatment side effects, it may be time to consider what hospice can do. Patients facing the end of life should not have to end their quality of life.

Patients who are facing a life-limiting illness should be able to look forward to quality time with friends, family, and loved ones. Achieving life’s goals does not have to end with a diagnosis. When aggressive treatment gets in the way of life’s most important moments, hospice should be part of the conversation.

Question 5: Do I believe that living more than 6 months - 1 year is a realistic goal at this time?

Life is precious and it is often difficult to have an honest and objective look toward the end. As end of life conversations begin to happen, they are often an early part of the grieving process and frequently accompanied by denial.  The highly trained team of hospice doctors, nurses, and other care professionals understand end of life conversations and how they impact individuals and their loved ones. When end of life conversations happen with hospice professionals, patients often report an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort. The reality of a patient-centered hospice care plan allows everyone to focus on making the very best of the time that remains.

As patients and their families struggle to think and talk about end of life, hospice can be an important part of the conversation. ■