There are more than 3,100 hospices in this country and the hospice in your community can provide information and help you answer some of the difficult decisions that accompany terminal illness and dying. Here are some questions you can ask in selecting hospice care:

• Is the agency licensed and accredited by a nationally recognized organization?
• Are they Medicare certified?
• What are their billing policies and payment plans?
• Can they provide references, such as local hospital and care centers, institutions, and caregivers?
• How do they decide whether an individual is ready for hospice care?
• How are their caregivers supervised?
• What are their expectations about the family's sharing in caregiving?
• Are you comfortable with the program? Does it feel like the right fit?