In the meantime, to help you in your decisions about hospice care, here are some starting pointers on:
General
- Decide on the type of care (home care /.day care / in-patient care) you are looking.
- Find out if your chosen hospice offers the services (types of therapies, counselling, etc) that
you want.
- Find out if your chosen hospice offers any unique services which you may prefer.
- Check whether you can receive hospice and palliative care while receiving curative treatment
in the hospital.
- Ask about your chosen hospice’s charges.
- Assess if you are in a condition where hospice and palliative care can benefit you and your caregiver.
- Find out how experienced the caregivers are in your chosen hospice.
- Ask about the training volunteers receive before they start caring for patients.
- Ask about the benefits of hospice services to your family.
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In-patient Care
- Check the patient-caregiver ratio in your chosen hospice.
- Find out about the live-in facilities available at your chosen hospice.
- Find out about the type of equipment available to provide the necessary care at your chosen hospice.
- Ask if meals at your chosen hospice can be customized according to your nutritional requirements.
- Find out about the daily routine for hospice residents, visiting hours and regulations at your
chosen hospice.
- Ask if your chosen hospice allows practitioners of alternative therapies to visit and treat patients.
- If you have pets, ask if your chosen hospice allows your family to bring your pet along on visits.
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Day Care
- Check the day care patient-caregiver ratio in your chosen hospice.
- Find out about the various day care activities you can participate in, and how often you can attend
the day care sessions.
- Check whether your chosen hospice provides types of food that are suitable for your
dietary requirements.
- Ask if transport between your home and your chosen hospice is available or can be arranged.
- Ask if you are eligible for subsidized fees at your chosen hospice.
- Ask if your medication can be administered to you at the day care sessions.
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Home Care
- Ask about the medical services that the hospice caregivers can provide you in your home.
- Find out how often the hospice nurses and doctors will visit you at home.
- Ask if hospice caregivers can act as temporary caregivers whenever your primary caregiver needs to run some errands; or be “attached” to your primary caregiver permanently to help out on a daily basis.
- Check if the hospice has a 24-hour emergency service, and the average response time.
- Ask if your primary caregiver needs to pay to attend caregiver workshops.
- If you require medical equipment, ask if they can be loaned for free, the rental price or the purchase price.
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You may also wish to use the checklists on medical, financial, hospice and personal matters.
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