These are tips to help you engage with your Hospice Service Provider to your best advantage.

1.      Establish Clear Expectation regarding the timing of services. 

Hospice is here to provide a service for you and your loved one.  They must first determine that your loved one qualifies for hospice and what services they will routinely provide you and your loved one.  It is at this point that you need to establish a schedule that is best for you!  Without this schedule, the hospice care provider will establish their own schedule and arrive at their convenience.  This may not be the best or most beneficial time for you and your loved one.  Therefore, you need to establish the schedule for the providers to follow. 

For example, my family member ALWAYS slept to nearly noon… The best time for the staff to come and provide care was in the later afternoon.  Together, it was determined that care would been provided 3 times per week but the family set an expectation that caregivers visited on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 2:30 PM and 5:00PM.  This simple directive ensure that services provision was predictable and something that everyone can schedule around. 

2.     Ask for what you want and need.

Again, Hospice is a benefit and a service.  If you need a service or a specific piece of equipment… ask the Hospice vendor to provide it.   You are the expert in caring for your loved one and you know what is needed.  It is impossible for a Hospice provider to read your mind or guess your needs… so speak up an let them know!  If hospice cannot provide what you are desiring, they will be able to show the regulatory restriction from Medicare that prevent them from providing and or make an alternative suggestion.

This principle applies for nonmedical needs as well… like, emotional support.  More than one time, I asked my hospice nurse: “How are we doing?  Are we doing a good job?  Are there needs we are missing?”  In my heart and as a professional, I knew that we are doing an excellent job and we were not missing any needs… but it was reassuring to hear someone else confirm it!  

3.     Learn to say ‘No thanks!”.

Decline services or visits that you do not want or need.  Just because a service is offered does not mean you have to accept it! 

My family member was secured in her faith and the family was unified in our election of hospice.   For my family member, strangers created stress and anxiety… so we declined Chaplin visits or visits from the social workers.  If you family member changes and you think they might benefit for a visit… then call the hospice agency and request the service. Remember, you can always change your mind. 

If you have other questions or I can help in anyway…. I’m here for you!

Grace and Peace,

Bryan