The time patient and family spend together in the patient's last days can be a very positive experience. Hospice is about choice and maintaining quality of life in the face of death. When looking at the issue of physician-assisted suicide, the issues are far from black and white. While recognizing this issue in present day thought, we maintain that good Hospice care controls the suffering of a large percentage of those who might opt for suicide to end or avoid pain. Even so, many people remain unaware of Hospice care and how Hospice can help.
Hospice care is appropriate for anyone with a prognosis of six months or less.
All a person has to do to make a referral is to call our office, with the prospective patient's permission. Triangle Hospice will contact the referred person's physician to see if in fact they have a terminal prognosis. Only then is the family contacted to explain the Hospice program and asked if they are interested in our assistance. If so, an assessment visit is arranged, at which time, if appropriate, the person may elect to be admitted. In other words, there has been agreement that curative measures be ended and comfort oriented treatment becomes the focus of care.