When should you consider hospice? When you or your family member have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, it is important to talk openly with the doctor. Discuss the options, which may include:
- Aggressive treatment to cure the disease
- Treatment to slow the disease process and prolong life
- Experimental treatment to cure or slow the disease
- Palliative care (treatment to reduce pain and symptoms of the disease)
As the illness progresses, talk with the doctor about the patient's changing needs and wishes. When the doctor has determined that the person is in the end stage of the disease, the doctor may bring up the option of hospice, which can provide palliative (comfort) care in the patient's final months. If the doctor does not mention this, the patient or family should.
This section will cover two topics:
