Signs That Hospice May Be Right

We often avoid conversations about hospice, but the one thing we keep hearing from families is, “we wish we had started hospice care sooner.” It’s easy to understand why we hear that. Hospice isn’t for the last few days, it’s for the last months - six months, and can even be recertified for additional periods of time. Families should not have to forgo the pain and symptom management, or reduced hospitalization rates that hospice care brings. Even life expectancy improves when people receive interdisciplinary hospice care. It should be no wonder that patient and family satisfaction rates with their healthcare are higher when families experience hospice care.

Determining if, or when, hospice care might be needed for you or a loved one is a personal decision. Some of these common signs may indicate that hospice care could be the right choice:

1 - You have been hospitalized or to the emergency room several times in the past six months

2 - You have been calling your physician more frequently

3 - You are taking medication for pain relief

4 - You are spending most of the day in a chair or bed

5 - You have fallen several times over the past six months

6 - You have difficulty swallowing

7 - You feel weaker or more tired than normal, or you are sleeping more

8 - You don’t have an appetite and you’ve been losing weight

9 - You need help bathing, dressing, eating, getting out of bed or walking

10 - You are short of breath, even while resting

11 - Your doctor told you that your life expectancy is six months or less

12 - You’ve decided that you don’t want any more treatments to cure your illness

13 - There are no further treatments available, and you want to focus care on comfort and relieving symptoms

Overcoming the fear of hospice

The end of life is something we rarely talk about, and many of us avoid the subject entirely. It’s only natural, we almost have a flinch factor about end-of-life issues. But as we, or a loved one, approach the end of life we deserve the best and most appropriate care that is available. Though we may have never traveled this journey before, there are those amongst us who have. The experience of Ascend’s hospice staff is invaluable. Here are a few points to consider to help us overcome our fears.

1 - We may equate hospice with giving up. It is not, it’s a way to provide comfort and alleviate fear. It may be the most beneficial thing anyone can do.

2 - We may hesitate, afraid to accept that treatments are not working. There comes a time when curative treatments provide no benefit and potentially increase suffering.

3 - We may believe that hospice is only for cancer. It is not, it helps with many serious illnesses.

4 - We may believe that hospice requires a DNR, it does not.

5 - We may believe that hospice hastens death, it does not. On average people receiving hospice care live longer than those that do not.

6 - We may believe that hospice is a place to go to die. It is not, most hospice care is delivered wherever we call home, whether a residential setting or a facility.

7 - We may believe that we will lose our own doctor. We will not, our physicians remain as involved as we would like them to be.

8 - We may believe that hospice is for the last few days of life. Hospice is for the last six months of life and can be recertified for additional periods afterwards.

9 - We may believe that once hospice is chosen that there’s no turning back. We are free to leave hospice care at any time to seek alternative care options.

Remember that the decision to choose hospice care is your personal choice. It should support your values and goals for care. Your doctor's role is to provide information and guidance to help you make an informed decision that best meets your needs and wishes. Learn more here or contact us to learn more.

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Ways to honor your Dad on Father’s Day after he has passed

May 27, 2025

Honoring your dad on Father’s Day after he has passed can be a meaningful and healing experience. Here are ten ways to remember and celebrate him: 1 - Wear or Carry Something of His – A watch, a shirt, a piece of jewelry—something that belonged to him can provide comfort and keep his presence close. 2 - Dedicate a Song or Playlist – Create a playlist of songs that remind you of moments you’ve shared together. 3 - Recreate a moment in time – Recreate a favorite memory (fishing trip, movie night, road trip) 4 - Plan a Dad’s night out - plan an outing to one of his favorite places. It could be a restaurant, a game, or simply a scenic spot. 5 - Plan a Dad’s night in - Invite family and friends over to reminisce and serve a buffet of his favorite foods. 6 - Build Something Meaningful - if you’re good with your hands, build something he would have liked. If you’re not you can always buy something like a bird house and mount it outside in his honor or have a memory bear made from some of his favorite clothes. 7 - Frame Something – buy a store-bought frame or go to a frame shop. Frame a quote, his quote or one that he liked. Or frame a photo of one of his favorite things like a sports team photo, a movie scene image, or a favorite athlete or musician. 8 - Create a Video or Slideshow – Gather old photos and videos, and compile them into a slideshow with music that he loved. 9 - Honor His Legacy – Start an interactive tradition in his honor like a family gathering, storytelling night, or community service. 10 - Plant Forget-me-nots in a favorite place or deliver potted Forget-me-nots to others that miss him too. No matter how you choose to honor your dad, focus on the love you have for him and realize and embrace that he loved you. He wouldn’t want you to cry all day, he would want you to smile and remember the good moments. Read also how to survive your first Father’s day without Dad .

10 ways to honor the memory of Mom this Mother’s Day

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