When To Call Hospice

If you say yes to one or more of the indictors below, it may be time to get a Free Hospice Evaluation:

• Recent weight loss or decreased appetite?
•  Frequent hospital, ER and/or MD visits?
• Increase in infections and/or skin breakdown?
• Increased pain or other uncontrolled symptoms?
• Changes in behaviors and/or interests?
• Require more assistance with dressing and bathing than before?

Indicators Based On Diagnosis:

ALZHEIMERS (Dementia is NOT an Appropriate DX) 

(FAST=Functional Assessment Staging Test)

[   ]   Assistance to ambulate or bed bound/ all ADL’s.

[   ]   Frequent infections or skin breakdown

[   }   Incontinence

[   ]   No consistent meaningful communication

[   ]   Additional medical conditions may be necessary.

CANCER

[   ]   Decision not to elect or is stopping treatment

[   ]   Cancer with poor prognosis and/or metastases

CHF / HEART DISEASE  (NYHA Class IV)

[   ]   Not a candidate for surgical procedures

[   ]   Treating with diuretics, vasodilators, ACEI, Hydralazine and Nitrates.

[   ]   Angina / Dyspnea / Syncope

[   ]   Edema

COPD/ LUNG DISEASE

[   ]   Oxygen dependent /dyspnea at rest

[   ]   Progression of end-stage pulmonary disease

[   ]   88% =< on room air

[   ]   Resting heart rate of 100 per min.

LIVER DISEASE

[   ]   INR > 1.5

[   ]   Serum Albumin < 2.5 gm/dL

[   ]   Malnutrition/ Wasting

[   ]   Diagnosis of end-stage liver disease

NEUROLOGICAL

[   ]   Muscle decline has become wide spread

[   ]   Increased weakness

[   ]   Rapid progression of symptoms

[   ]   Difficulty with breathing and swallowing

[   ]   Reduced speech and vocal volume

[   ]   Problems sleeping

RENAL DISEASE

[   ]   Diagnosis of end-stage kidney disease

[   ]   Creatinine clearance <10 cc/min

[   ]   Election of no dialysis

STROKE/COMA

Stroke:

[   ]   Physician diagnosis of non-recovery

[   ]   Weight loss of 10% in last 6 months

[   ]   Infections in last 6 months/skin breakdown

[   ]   No meaningful verbal communication

[   ]   Difficulty Swallowing

Coma:

[   ]   Creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL

[   ]   No brain stem function, pain or verbal response

It is often not a single diagnosis that represents the terminal prognosis of the patient, but the combined effect of several conditions that make the patient’s condition terminal. For more information on Hospice, click here.