Admission to Columbus Hospice of Georgia and Alabama may occur when there is a prognosis of six months or less, should the disease or illness runs its normal course. At this stage, with acute aggressive treatment no longer a viable option, the primary focus is on comfort care and symptom management. Common illnesses which may require admission to hospice care include, but are not limited to, the later stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias, Cancer, Heart Disease, Lung Disease, AIDS, ALS, and many others.

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Hospice care might be considered if one or more of the following exist along with a terminal diagnosis:

• Multiple admissions to the hospital in a short period of time.
• Multiple Emergency Department visits.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Trouble eating and swallowing.
• Severe weakness; lethargy; spending most of the time in a chair or bed.
• Shortness of breath while sitting, lying down, or following minimum exertion.
• Multiple falls within a 6-month period.
• Recurrent infections, such as pneumonia or urinary tract infection.
• Symptoms, including pain, have become problematic.