 Living
Will/Advance Directive
Using
Hospice
LIVING
WILL/ADVANCE DIRECTIVE
Federal law requires
that hospitals ask if you have an “Advance Directive”which
specifies your health care preferences if you are unable to
communicate them yourself. These directives commonly take
the form of a “Living Will” or a “Durable Power
of Attorney for Health Care.” Consult an attorney, hospital
social worker, doctor, or nurse for more information.
USING
HOSPICE
Hospice care is designed
to make patients comfortable in the last stages of their illness.
The hospice uses an aggressive approach to pain control, and
it helps patients and family deal with the issues that surround
death, dying, and grieving.
If your disease is not curable; if you have
decided not to have any further treatment; if you are having
difficulty taking care of yourself; or if you are having symptoms
such as pain and nausea that are difficult to manage, you
can ask your doctor to refer you for hospice care. This comprehensive
program includes physicians, nurses, social workers, pastoral
counselors, and volunteers who can help you either in your
home or at a hospice facility.
A physician may need to certify that the illness
is terminal (with a life expectancy of six months or less)
before a hospice accepts a patient.
Return
to “Cancer Patient Guide”
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