American Hospice Foundation, Washington DC, USA

Many people whose family members got hospice care only for a few days before they died say later that they wished they had started earlier.

The decision to choose hospice care requires open discussion within the family and with the patient's doctor.

To find a good hospice, you need objective, independent information about the quality of all the hospices in your community.

Once you have chosen a hospice, there will need to be an initial assessment of the patient's needs.