Eligibility Requirements
- Life-limiting illness
- Patient has a declining functional status
End Stage Diagnosis
Hospice is often associated with cancer, but any patient with any advanced illness is eligible for hospice. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Metastatic Malignancies
- Heart Disease
- Kidney Disease
- Liver Disease
- Lung Disease
- Stroke and/or Coma
- AIDS
- Neurological Diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Dementia, etc.)
- Lou Gehrig's (ALS) Disease
In addition, those experiencing serious multi-symptom deterioration, frequent emergency room visits and/or hospitalizations, or discontinuing aggressive treatment may also be eligible for hospice care.
Generally it is time for hospice when doctors are offering a prognosis of 6 months or less. It is better to begin hospice care early rather than late. Many people are referred too late to fully benefit from all the services offered through hospice. It is not necessary to be home bound to receive hospice care.
