Hospice and palliative care are both medical services that include interdisciplinary teams to provide pain and symptom relief. They are similar services, but with different goals of care.
Hospice care is focused on comfort care without intent to cure the person. This is because either curative treatment options no longer work, or the person has decided not to pursue them because the side effects outweigh the benefits. Hospice care must be certified by a physician and is meant for people with terminal illness who have a life expectancy of 6 months or less. Of course, it is not possible to always know someone’s life expectancy, so they may be on hospice longer than 6 months if the person continues to qualify under a physician’s care.
Palliative care is specialized care for people living with a serious illness. It provides compassionate comfort care that provides relief from the symptoms and the physical and mental stress of a serious or life-limiting illness. It is initiated by a physician and can be used at any stage of the illness, including while receiving curative focused treatment.
Both hospice and palliative care programs provide interdisciplinary teams that include the physician, nurses, social workers, and often spiritual care workers. Hospice care is provided at home (or wherever the person is residing) while palliative care programs can be provided in hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient palliative care clinics and certain other specialized clinics, or at home.
I often hear from people that they fear hospice will quicken the process of death, which understandably leads to apprehension of using hospice services. However, hospice allows your loved one to experience a natural and comfortable end-of-life. The hospice team is there to provide support and will not take away the decision-making powers of the patient and/or family.
If you or a loved one is dealing with a life limiting illness, you can talk to the physician about options for care. Once a physician determines a patient qualifies for hospice or palliative care, an order will be sent to the agency of the patient or family’s choosing. From there, the agency will guide you through the process and coordinate your care.
Once you meet with the agency directly you can ask all your questions and get a better picture of what this care will look like, such as what it will include and what it will not include. Neither program offers full-time care, but they provide medically focused services to meet the person’s needs. Meeting with an agency to learn about their services does not mean you have to sign up. It will aways be your decision, but you want to have all the information available to you first.
Supporting a loved one with a life limiting illness is very stressful and can be exhausting both physically and emotionally. A friend who recently helped her father enroll in hospice care told me “I didn’t realize how much hospice was going to help me and not just my dad.” She felt that the social worker who helped with the process really listened to her and supported in a way that lifted a weight off her shoulders.
If you think one of these healthcare programs may help you or a loved one, reach out to the physician to ask. Sometimes we do not know what support services are available until we ask. Ask questions to know if and when these services may be available to support you.
Martha Shapiro can be reached at Senior Concerns at 805-497-0189 or by email at mshapiro@seniorconcerns.org.
