In-Home Quality of Life Assessment
The Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice Quality of Life Assessment is an in-home appointment where one of our end-of-life care veterinary experts will evaluate your beloved pet in the comfort and privacy of your home. Oftentimes, pet parents feel stuck making the difficult decision to move forward with euthanasia, not knowing if it is the “right time.” Having an expert evaluate your pet in-person and make an educated recommendation, based on their experience and compassion, can give you the confidence you need to make the best decision for your special family member.
A TeleAdvice Appointment Might be Right for You
As a Caring Pathways family practice, we also offer an alternative to an in-home Quality of Life Assessment when facing this difficult decision via our TeleAdvice appointments. These consultations offer an alternative way to have a focused quality of life discussion with one of our veterinary experts to determine which type of appointment best meets your family’s needs.
What to Expect During A Quality of Life Assessment
Upon arrival, our veterinarian will get to know you and your family. They will take time to learn about your pet through you, as well as through observing how your pet behaves in the space where they are most comfortable. Our doctor will perform a physical examination of your pet and discuss with you their findings. Based on this examination and information that you share about your pet, including any previous diagnoses, behavior challenges, or any other relevant information, our veterinarian will either support the decision to move forward with euthanasia, or offer an alternative recommendation appropriate for your pet and your family. If the decision is made to delay euthanasia, the doctor may make recommendations, such as returning to your regular veterinarian for further evaluation and care, or enrolling your pet into the HRVH Hospice Program for continued palliative care at home.
Please note that this is an abbreviated visit (compared to a full Hospice Assessment), and therefore our team will not collect medical records from your regular veterinarian or create an ongoing care plan. Should you choose to move forward with enrolling your pet in our Hospice Program, our team will collect and thoroughly review any previous medical records for your pet and design a longer-term, personalized palliative care plan.
Client Testimonials
“We can’t thank Dr. Economos enough for answering our call at 3am this past weekend. We loved our cat Floki with our whole heart. He had heart disease and we always monitored him very closely. He was so loving and happy and you could always hear his loud purrs from across the room. In the night I got up to check on him to notice he had lost use of his legs and was showing signs that it was near the end of his life. Dr. Economos came over as quick as she could and we made the decision to say goodbye to the sweetest cat I have ever known. Her respectfulness and gentleness with him made us feel at peace knowing he was able to pass on in his own home being surrounded by love. Thank you again for giving us peace of mind during such a devastating time. The comfort I feel knowing he was able to be at home with us when he passed is something I will remember forever. We are heartbroken, yet so grateful. Thank you.“
Jamie Chase