“A few weeks ago, Kathy Brandt’s 86-year-old mother was hospitalized in Florida after a fall. After rushing to her side, Brandt asked for a consult with a palliative care nurse.

“‘I wanted someone to make sure my mother was on the right medications,’ Brandt said.

“For all her expertise — Brandt advises end-of-life organizations across the country — she was taken aback when the nurse suggested hospice care for her mother, who has advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease and a rapid, irregular heartbeat.

“‘I was like — really?’ Brandt remembered saying, struggling with shock.

“It’s a common reaction.”

Read this article at CaliforniaHealthline in its entirety here.