Comfort care
How to know it’s time to ask
If care needs are rising fast or suffering is increasing, it may be time to ask about palliative care or hospice. This page gives practical signals to watch for.
Quick checklist
- Frequent hospitalizations or ER visits.
- Rapid functional decline (walking, eating, cognition).
- Uncontrolled symptoms (pain, breathlessness, anxiety).
- Caregiver exhaustion with no sustainable plan.
Questions to ask the clinician
- “What should we expect in the next weeks/months?”
- “What can we do to improve comfort and reduce crises?”
- “Would palliative care or hospice be appropriate now?”