Our doctor mentioned hospice might be appropriate soon, but we're not sure how eligibility works in PA. What usually determines when someone can start?
Eligibility typically looks at a physician's certification that a person has a life‑limiting illness and would likely benefit from comfort‑focused care, plus signs like functional decline or more frequent hospitalizations. The hospice team reassesses regularly to ensure the plan still fits. We found it helpful to ask the doctor to outline what they're seeing clinically and how comfort goals could help today—not just "later." For a plain overview of the usual requirements and next steps, we used this: I found the qualifications for hospice in PA on this page (https://seniorcarepennsylvania.com/hospice/edu/how-to-qualify-for-hospice-care-in-pennsylvania). It made the discussion with our family less abstract.
If timing feels unclear, consider a hospice informational visit. It's non‑binding and gives you specifics about services without committing before you're ready.