The Hospice Guide: The Complete Family Toolkit

A plain-language guide to hospice care that explains Medicare coverage, eligibility and what families can expect at end of life. Written by a former hospice intake worker, sold as a paperback and a digital download.

Someone just said the word hospice. Now what?

If you're reading this, you're probably not having an easy day. A doctor made a recommendation, a family member called with news, or you're sitting in a hospital room trying to figure out what happens next.

Most families hear the word hospice during one of the worst moments of their lives, and nobody stops to explain how it actually works. This book does. And it gives you the tools to stay organized while you do it.

The Hospice Guide: The Complete Family Toolkit was written by someone who worked in hospice intake and spoke with families in the hours after a physician's recommendation. It covers the questions they asked most often, the things they wished someone had explained clearly, and the decisions that felt impossible until the right information was in front of them.

The 12-chapter guide covers:

• What hospice actually means and how it differs from palliative care

• The six-month rule and how eligibility really works

• What Medicare covers at 100% and what it doesn't

• What the hospice team does (and what they don't provide)

• What to expect in the first 72 hours after enrollment

• How to choose a hospice provider and what questions to ask

• How emergencies and symptom crises are handled

• How to make steady decisions without guilt

• How to take care of yourself as a caregiver

• What happens at the time of death and what to do next

  
  Plus 5 printable worksheets and checklists:

• Provider Comparison Worksheet — compare hospice agencies side by side

• First 72 Hours Quick Reference — key contacts, comfort kit contents, when to call

• End-of-Life Family Planner — legal documents, funeral preferences, people to notify

• Medication and Care Log — track medications, symptoms, and questions for the nurse

• Caregiver Support Planner — organize help, delegate tasks, build a care rotation

  This is not a medical textbook. It's a complete, practical toolkit for families walking into a system they've never encountered before. No jargon. No filler. Just clarity when you need it most. One book. Everything your family needs in one place.

  Joanne Parker spent years working in hospice intake, guiding families through one of the most confusing healthcare systems they'll ever encounter. She wrote this book so the next family wouldn't have to figure it all out alone.