can we reach out to a hospice agency ourselves?

[bettyvill]

I’ve been trying to figure this out for my uncle — he’s got advanced heart failure and the doctors are now talking about “comfort care” instead of more treatments. It’s all a bit overwhelming, honestly. We’re in Pennsylvania, and I’m not even sure what steps we’re supposed to take to see if hospice is an option. Does it need to be the doctor who starts the process, or can we reach out to a hospice agency ourselves?

[nadiafish]

Hey, I went through something similar with my mom last year. We were also in PA, and yeah — it was her doctor who first brought up hospice, but honestly, we had no clue what that really meant. What helped was talking directly with a hospice provider who explained what qualifies someone for care — like if the prognosis is six months or less and the focus is on quality of life. We used this How to Qualify for Hospice Care https://seniorcarepennsylvania.com/hospi...nnsylvania  to get clear answers about what was needed, and they really broke it down in plain English.

[momser]

Every time I read stories like these, I’m reminded how much families go through during these transitions. It’s such a tough spot emotionally and practically. Sometimes just knowing where to turn or what questions to ask makes a huge difference, even if the answers aren't what you want to hear. Seeing how others handle it gives me a bit of hope that when the time comes, we won't be totally lost.