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Tips For Choosing A Hospice
In many communities there are several competing hospices from which to choose.
The following questions will help you decide what is right for you:
- From the very first phone call, is staff helpful, concerned? Do they answer your questions?
- If you are uncertain about whether hospice is right for you, do they offer an initial consultation so you have an opportunity to ask questions and determine what you want?
- Are you within their geographic service area?
- How quickly will the hospice services begin?
- What is expected from the family caregiver? Will they help you find additional help if needed?
- What will their responsibilities be? What members of the hospice team will you see and how often?
- Do they have a relationship with your personal physician?
- Ask them to explain their 24/7 availability in a situation when you need immediate help.
- How do they define "palliative" or comfort care? Are certain treatments automatically excluded? If you require expensive therapies or devices to manage pain and other symptoms, will they be available?
- What out-of-pocket expenses should you expect?
- Do they provide services for residents in different settings? A nursing home? An assisted living facility?
