Concerned? Call hospice ASAP

Originally published in the Lincoln Tribune, Mar. 4, 2008

This might not be the most commonly asked question, but I bet it's the most thought about:

Q: My loved one has taken a turn for the worse. When should we call hospice?

A: Yesterday! The #1 comment on my organization's family surveys is, "I wish we'd known about hospice sooner." If you think that hospice might be appropriate for your loved one, chances are he or she could already be receiving comforting services. You should call the first time the thought crosses your mind.

When your special person finally receives the word from the doctor, there may seem to be no reason to call. Now you know what's caused the problems; your loved one has prescriptions or appointments for treatments to fight it. No need to call hospice yet, right?

Wrong. From hospice has sprung an entirely new kind of medical care, called palliative care. Palliative care makes the patient comfortable, either during treatments or once those treatments are not working. Anyone can request a palliative care consultation, even as early as the visit where you hear your diagnosis. Palliative care treats the issues that might have sent you to the doctor in the first place, or the issues that might develop from during treatment (nausea, incontinence, swelling, etc.).

If you don't have a lot of symptoms, you still have questions. On the drive home from the doctor's office, everyone comes up with "What if?"s they didn't ask during those brief moments in Exam Room B. During a palliative care consultation, a doctor- or nurse-consultant can spend time walking you through all those questions that keep you awake at 3 A.M.

Calling sooner is better for the family, too. If the patient begins with palliative care, caregivers have the relief of knowing, for example, that Mom or Dad is no longer in pain, and has a plan of action for the future. If hospice is involved, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, and more help the family with the dozens of problems that can pop up during a health crisis. And all hospices are required to provide counseling and support for survivors for 13 months after their loved one's passing.

If this answer resonated with you, I hope you will call a hospice today. Don't forget to send me your questions, too!