When should I start thinking about hospice care?

Alzheimer's Front Row

Introduced to the United States in the 1970s, hospice care is becoming an increasingly common treatment.

Last year, 1.65 million people received hospice care, up from just more than 1 million in 2004, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

In the Washington area, more than a dozen hospice providers serve about 2,400 patients daily, according to figures compiled by The Washington Post in an online consumer guide published as part of a recent investigation into the hospice industry.

Continue reading this very informative article in the Washington Post.

When should I start thinking about hospice care, for myself or a loved one?

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My Hospice Care Decision for Dotty

Let me start by saying that I had a crystal clear understanding of the types of care that Dotty wanted at the end of her life. We had these discussion more than 20 years prior to her death.

Dotty did not want to be resuscitated, put on an machines that prolonged her life for weeks or even days, and she did not want her life extended artificially.

I had an advance directive, and Power of Attorney, that gave me the legal power to make decisions concerning Dotty's end of life care. Or, for any care decision she could not make on her own. These documents were signed and executed well in advance. 

Dotty's clear wish was to die at home and she wanted Hospice and Palliative care.

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