The Most Common Hospice Diagnoses You Should Know
Experience comfort and care at home
For families and loved ones, conversations surrounding hospice care are never easy. As a result, those who would benefit from early hospice care admission often shy away from the conversation altogether. By proactively seeking out information, however, you can make the best possible choice for your comfort, quality of life, and end-of-life goals.
That’s why our Knute Nelson family has outlined the most common hospice diagnoses below. At the same time, these diagnoses alone do not necessarily mean it’s time for hospice care. To aid in your decision making, we invite you to take our brief hospice care survey.
What are the top 10 hospice diagnoses?
Our list of hospice diagnoses below includes the most common diseases and conditions associated with hospice care admission:
1. Cancer
2. Heart Disease
3. Dementia/Alzheimer’s
4. Lung Disease
5. Stroke
6. Kidney Disease
7. Liver Disease
8. Neurological Disease — Parkinson’s/ALS
9. HIV/AIDS
10. Other conditions, including infections, potentially cancerous masses, moderate/severe malnutrition, and multiple chronic conditions
Please note, no condition or disease above is a “hospice diagnosis” by itself. If an individual receives a diagnosis from the list above, it may contribute to their hospice eligibility.
What are the hospice care eligibility requirements?
For someone to be eligible for hospice care, they must have a terminal diagnosis from their primary physician with a life expectancy of six months or less.
To determine this, physicians consider not only the conditions and diseases above, but also key indicators like falls, hospitalizations, daily functionality, weight loss, shortness of breath, and beyond. These are some of the same questions our hospice care survey includes to help you or your loved one understand your care needs.
What should I expect with hospice care?
Hospice care doesn’t mean giving up, but rather, refocusing on comfort and quality of life over curative treatments. To ensure the best possible care, Knute Nelson Hospice builds a personalized care team of registered nurses, home health aides, spiritual care providers, social workers, and more to meet your loved one’s unique needs.
From there, we develop a tailored care plan to support loved ones and their families. From our standard care options like medication management to our life-enriching services like therapeutic music, we take a holistic approach to support loved ones and their families. We also offer 13 months of bereavement care to guide families through life after loss.
Getting started with Knute Nelson Hospice
If you or your loved one is navigating one of the common hospice care diagnoses above, you may be wondering where to turn next. By taking our hospice care survey, you can consider more than your diagnosis alone through a series of balanced questions.
Our highly-trained staff is also just one phone call away at 1(855) 938-4081. You can also fill out our form to request more information.
Meet the author
Lisa Dingwall is a dedicated healthcare professional with over two decades of experience, currently serving as the Director of Knute Nelson Hospice. Her educational journey began at Alexandria Technical and Community College, where she earned her Licensed Practical Nurse degree, followed by a Registered Nurse degree from Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls, and a Bachelor of Nursing from Rasmussen University.
Her diverse career encompassed roles in long term care, clinical settings, home health care, oncology, and hospice, each enriching her expertise in patient care. Throughout her journey, Dingwall fostered a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. As the Director of Hospice, she remains unwavering in her commitment to providing compassionate end-of-life care, guiding patients and their families through life’s most profound transitions.
Published on June 25th, 2024
