Questions to Ask When Considering End-of-Life Care

Article submitted by Robin Marshall, General Manager, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® of New Jersey North. They can be reached through the toll-free referral line 1-800-93-VITAS or the local number is 973-994-4738.

If you or a loved one faces a life-limiting illness, there are decisions to make about options in end-of-life care. It's important to feel comfortable with the professionals you invite into your life at this special time. And while there are many quality hospice providers, not all hospices are the same.

VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® encourages you to find out as much as you can to decide if hospice care is right for you. Then compare hospice providers. Which one is best able to meet your family's individual needs? Consider these questions:

WHAT TO ASK

How long has the organization been in business? How is it certified or licensed? What are its guiding principles?
Does the hospice provide services in a variety of settings-assisted living, long term care, the patient's home?
How does the hospice work with the hospital and other organizations or facilities during the course of the patient's care?
Does the hospice provide inpatient care for pain control, symptom management and respite purposes?
How and where is inpatient care provided?
Does the hospice provide Continuous Care to manage an acute medical crisis while honoring the patient's request to remain at home?
How is the hospice team trained?
How does the team schedule patient visits?
How does the hospice team educate family caregivers about the patient's needs and what to expect at the end of life? How does the hospice provide support to handle grief?
Are there specialized hospice programs and services for patients with such non-cancer diagnoses as AIDS, end-stage heart disease, end-stage lung disease, etc.?
Are there bilingual team members? What languages are spoken?
In what ways does the hospice team honor a patient's unique wishes (for example, religious preferences or advance directives regarding medical treatments)?
Is there a full-time Medical Director? Do hospice physicians make home visits? How is the patient's own physician involved in care?
How does the hospice respond to after-hours emergencies or phone calls?
Does the hospice exclude certain treatments, like feeding tubes and hydration?
Does the hospice accept patients who will not execute a "do not resuscitate" order?
What have hospice patients and their families said about the care they received from this hospice provider?
What services do volunteers offer? How are volunteers screened and trained before they visit patients and families?
When death occurs, how does the hospice team handle visits and calls?

WHOM TO ASK

Gather information from sources you know and trust:

Your doctor and/or clergy.
Friends and relatives who have faced similar choices.
Your local senior center, state or national organizations for the aging or an internet search.
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization through Caring Connections. The toll-free help line is 1-800-658-8898. For Spanish call 1-877-658-8896. Or go to www.caringinfo.org
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® of New Jersey North. The toll-free referral line is 1-800-93-VITAS. The local number is 973-994-4738. Or go to www.vitas.com