Kentucky.com: To ensure individuals receive the end-of-life care they want and avoid unwanted hospitalizations, it is important to make wishes known through advance-care planning. Research all the options, talk to your health care team to discuss likely outcomes of your disease progression and establish an advance directive to make your wishes clear.

People are living longer and have more options for care. It is critical to educate yourself and your family about end-of-life care options and your preferences long before you need them. Some tools to get started can be found at Theconversationproject.org. It might seem like a hard conversation to have, but the benefits are enormous. The number one comment we receive from families after a loved one’s death is, “I wish we had called Hospice sooner.”