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,