Criteria for Hospice Care
While a general guideline of six months life expectancy establishes hospice eligibility, the course of dementia is very difficult to predict. The unpredictable nature of the disease leaves healthcare providers uncertain about when to refer a person with dementia for hospice service.
The following guidelines are helpful to know when the person may be hospice eligible:
- The person is unable to walk, bathe, and dress independently.
- The person speaks few intelligible words.
- The person is incontinent of bowel and bladder.
- One or more of the following has occurred in the past year:
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Kidney/urinary tract infection
- Recurring fever after antibiotics
- Pressure ulcers (bed sores)
- Weight loss
- The person is steadily losing weight.
Please note: Because the course of dementia is so unpredictable, a patient in the earlier stages of dementia (still walking and speaking well) who continues to lose weight despite caregiver efforts, may qualify for hospice. There may be other life-limiting conditions, such as heart or lung disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer that may also allow them to qualify. If you have questions about whether your family member is ready for hospice care, please contact Hospice of the Valley at 602.530.6900.