Why Now?
Hospice is an important and beneficial end-of-life service that provides care for the patient and family.
The Medicare Hospice Benefit requires that a terminally ill patient have a prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course.
Please keep in mind there is not a six-month limit to hospice care services.
It is important to recognize that half of all patients who require hospice receive less than 21 days of care out of a six-month benefit.
Looking for the silent transition will help you be aware of the subtle progression someone is making toward hospice eligibility, before a crisis strikes. If you observe any of the following, someone may be beginning their silent transition from chronic illness to end of life:
- Increased hospitalizations over the past year
- Emergency room/urgent care visits
- Recent or progressive weight loss/gain
- Difficulty swallowing
- Changes in comprehension
- Requires more assistance with activities of daily living
- Increased incontinence
- Decrease in stamina
- Increased edema
- Increased shortness of breath with/without activity
- Oxygen dependency
- Decrease in communication
- Increase in disorientation or confusion
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Less likely to smile
- Taking nine or more daily medications
- Increased number of wounds
- Wounds do not heal properly
- Physician’s office visits are missed