Anonymous
06/19/2026 14:43
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.
I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.
Do I ask the doctor for this?
OP
If your loved one is living and walking in assisted living and eating then they probably do not qualify.
They don't walk anymore, but they do eat.
On the one hand, people here say families wait to long to call hospice. On the other hand, I am not a doctor and don't know what is appropriate. Even a doctor can't actually predict a person will die in six months. You never really know unless they are in active dying.
As someone said on another thread, of course AL has an incentive to keep ordering up their meds and taking their money regardless of QOL.
The current place wants my parent to move, and I suspect it has to do with the fact they can sell the current 1BR for more than my parent is paying. I am not sure, but that is my guess.
They tried to sell us an undesirable spot in a dark shared room in memory care.
Anonymous
06/19/2026 14:41
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:My BFF just had a consultation about getting her 92 year old dad into hospice. He has his good days and his bad, but he perked up for the hospice evaluation and was denied. The doctor said that he's a candidate when he's not able to walk or form a sentence with more than five words.
Thanks. This is helpful to know. I'll ask about palliative care.
Anonymous
06/18/2026 16:29
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.
I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.
Do I ask the doctor for this?
OP
PP here and typically palliative care consult must be ordered, but you can also look to self-refer for a consult. You can be on palliative care for years. And you can be walking, talking, eating, etc., it is really the start of end of life care.
Anonymous
06/18/2026 16:16
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
My BFF just had a consultation about getting her 92 year old dad into hospice. He has his good days and his bad, but he perked up for the hospice evaluation and was denied. The doctor said that he's a candidate when he's not able to walk or form a sentence with more than five words.
Anonymous
06/18/2026 16:15
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.
I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.
Do I ask the doctor for this?
OP
If your loved one is living and walking in assisted living and eating then they probably do not qualify.
They don't walk anymore, but they do eat.
On the one hand, people here say families wait to long to call hospice. On the other hand, I am not a doctor and don't know what is appropriate. Even a doctor can't actually predict a person will die in six months. You never really know unless they are in active dying.
As someone said on another thread, of course AL has an incentive to keep ordering up their meds and taking their money regardless of QOL.
Anonymous
06/18/2026 16:11
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.
I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.
Do I ask the doctor for this?
OP
If your loved one is living and walking in assisted living and eating then they probably do not qualify.
They don't walk anymore, but they do eat.
On the one hand, people here say families wait to long to call hospice. On the other hand, I am not a doctor and don't know what is appropriate. Even a doctor can't actually predict a person will die in six months. You never really know unless they are in active dying.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 00:22
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
There are US government guidelines for this.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 00:20
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.
I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.
Do I ask the doctor for this?
OP
If your loved one is living and walking in assisted living and eating then they probably do not qualify.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 00:19
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
We self referred to hospice in Maryland. (twice.)
Hospice pulls and reviews the medical records. Hospice will send an RN out to see your loved one. I think the hospice MD ultimately decides if your loved one qualifies.
Hospice pulls and reviews the medical records. Hospice will send an RN out to see your loved one. I think the hospice MD ultimately decides if your loved one qualifies.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 00:16
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:Parent is entering the sixth or seventh stage of dementia, which I think is considered an end stage disease.
While reviewing parent's advance directive, I see they did not want medications and medical interventions at a certain point. My question is that I don't know what that point would be and assume a doctor would indicate when the right time is to withdraw medicartions. Is it now when they are in the final stages of this disease, or does that come later when they can no longer eat...?
In the case of my now-deceased parent, hospice was started with parent would not eat. But then they'd start eating again. The situation is not linear and, therefore, was confusing to all of us in the family.
Is this something I need to discuss with the primary care doctor?
Medicare rules are 6 months or less of life.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 22:56
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.
I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.
Do I ask the doctor for this?
OP
Yes. My understanding is that a doc (usually the PCP) needs to refer to Palliative Care. I’m currently working on this for my dad but he and my stepmom
are reluctant to add another provider when he’s seeing so many already. My understanding is that the palliative care doc can help them assess what is actually necessary so maybe he can get off the endless merry go round of doctor appointments and specialists.
Anonymous
06/16/2026 11:43
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Oh, you are right. I did not know there was a difference.
I can’t get the assisted living to request this. At least, they have not let me know so far if they have requested it. I assume they have not.
Do I ask the doctor for this?
OP
Anonymous
06/15/2026 12:50
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
OP, I didn’t read all of the responses, but what you were probably looking for is a consult for palliative care. This is similar but distinctly different from hospice care.
Anonymous
06/15/2026 12:36
Subject: When is right time for hospice?
Anonymous wrote:As soon as they let you (I mean the drs or hospice people or whoever makes those decisions)
Most people wait until its far too late or the family member dies the next day.