HOSPICE CARE

End-of-Life Planning: Kind Questions To Guide Decisions

Planning the end of life is an act of love. Kind, open questions help you uncover what matters most, reduce stress, and turn uncertainty into a plan you can trust. If you live in Atlanta or Fulton County, the prompts below will help you start calm conversations and connect them to resources and hospice support in Georgia when needed.

Begin With Values Before Decisions

Big decisions feel lighter when you begin with values. Try these prompts in a quiet moment and give plenty of time for answers.

Gentle Prompts That Open The Door

• What feels most important in your life right now, and what would you like to protect as things change.
• What helps you feel at peace, such as music, prayer, favorite people, or quiet time.
• What worries you most about the future, and how can we ease those worries together.

You can pause between questions and return later. The goal is to understand the person, not to finish a form.

Talk About Care Preferences

Once values are clear, explore care choices in everyday words. Use yes-no-maybe to begin, then talk about CPR, breathing machines, feeding tubes, antibiotics, and hospital transfers. Ask your clinician to translate medical terms and to summarize the plan so everyone understands.

Comfort, Life-Prolonging Treatments, And Trade-Offs

• If treatments could extend life but cause more discomfort, how would you want us to decide?
• How do you feel about CPR, breathing machines, or feeding tubes near the end of life?
• If recovery is unlikely, would you prefer comfort-focused care rather than more hospital time?

Where You Want Care

• Would you rather be at home if possible, or in a facility where staff are always nearby?
• Who do you want around you in your last weeks and days, and are there any limits on visitors?

Keep language simple and repeat back what you hear to be sure you understood correctly.

Choose A Decision-Maker And Share The Plan

Identify someone who can speak for you if you cannot. Tell them what matters and write it down.

Advance Directives And Georgia Resources

• Complete a Georgia advance directive for health care and give copies to your decision-maker and doctors.
• Use trusted Georgia guides to prepare and to practice the conversation with your family.

If you want to review care options that are legal in Georgia and how they relate to your values, explore reputable education on end-of-life options and planning. 

When To Invite Hospice Into The Conversation

Consider hospice when a serious illness is progressing and the focus is shifting from curing to comfort, or when repeated hospitalizations are exhausting for the patient. Learning about hospice early helps families make informed choices and receive layered support at home. 

What Hospice Focuses On

Hospice centers on comfort, relief of symptoms, and emotional and spiritual support for you and your family. Teams include nurses, aides, social workers, and chaplains who surround you with coordinated care.

Questions to Clarify If Hospice Care Fits

Families sometimes mix up hospice and other care services. Hospice care is for the final months when the focus shifts to comfort, dignity, and time together. If you are unsure which fits your situation, speak with your doctor and ask for a goals-of-care meeting.

Questions To Ask

• What is the main goal right now, comfort or more time with certain treatments.
• Would extra support at home prevent stressful hospital visits.
• Which symptoms are hardest today and how can a team help?

Caregiver Support And Respite Options

Caregivers need steady support to keep going.

Ways To Lighten The Load

• Create a task list that friends can choose from, such as meals, rides, or errands
• Ask about volunteer visits, nursing aide hours, and respite care days
• Keep a medication schedule and a single notebook for symptoms and questions
• Accept help early instead of waiting for a crisis

A Short, Printable Checklist You Can Use Today

Use this as a quick guide while you talk.

• Write down your top three values and top three worries.
• Decide about CPR, breathing machines, and feeding tubes in simple terms.
• Choose a health care decision-maker and a backup, and tell them your wishes.
• Complete a Georgia advance directive and share copies.
• List where you prefer care and who should be present.
• Ask your doctor whether it is time to meet with a hospice team and what support is available at home.

How Inspire Hospice Supports Your Family

If you are in Atlanta, Duluth, Gainesville, Kennesaw, Newnan, or Athens, our hospice team at Inspire Hospice can help you turn these kind questions into a clear plan. We offer in-home nursing, physician oversight, pain and symptom management, caregiver support, emotional and spiritual care, medical equipment and supplies, and bereavement services. We can also facilitate conversations and complete paperwork with you so your wishes are honored.

Start Your Hospice Journey With Us

Call (404) 921-3341 or visit our contact form to ask questions and schedule a conversation. We listen first, then help you clarify goals, review care options, and create a plan that reflects your values. Our team supports patients and families in Atlanta, Duluth, Gainesville, Kennesaw, Newnan, and Athens with in-home nursing, symptom relief, caregiver guidance, and 24/7 phone support.