Palliative Care vs. Hospice: What Families Should Know
When a loved one has a serious illness, families often hear the words “palliative care” and “hospice” and aren’t sure what they mean or which is right. We’re happy to talk it through with you, with no obligation.
What Is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is specialized care for people living with a serious illness. Its goal is to improve quality of life by relieving pain, symptoms and stress, and by supporting the whole family.
Palliative care can begin at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside treatments aimed at a cure.
Hospice Is Palliative Care at Its Fullest
Hospice uses the same comfort-focused approach as palliative care, for people whose illness has reached a point where the focus shifts from cure to comfort. As a hospice provider, comfort, dignity and quality of life are at the heart of everything our team does.
Palliative Care
- For anyone with a serious illness, at any stage
- Can be received alongside curative treatment
- Focuses on symptom relief and quality of life
- Usually covered by Medicare Part B and insurance, often with copays
Hospice Care
- For people with a life expectancy of six months or less, as certified by a physician
- Focus shifts from cure to comfort
- Includes a full team: nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains and more
- Covered by the Medicare Hospice Benefit, typically with no out-of-pocket cost for hospice services
Serious Illnesses Where Comfort Care Helps
When It May Be Time to Talk About Hospice
Frequent Hospital Visits
Repeated trips to the emergency room or hospital stays.
Declining Despite Treatment
Health continues to decline even with aggressive treatment.
Focus on Comfort
Your loved one wants to focus on comfort and time with family.
Hard-to-Control Symptoms
Ongoing pain, breathlessness or other symptoms affecting daily life.
How Our Team Can Help
Call and ask questions
Talk with our team at 323-545-2565 about your loved one’s situation.
Understand the options
We explain the difference between palliative care and hospice, and what fits your situation.
Take the next step
If hospice is right, we can often begin care the same day. If not, we’ll point you in the right direction.
Questions Families Often Ask
Does choosing hospice mean giving up?
No. Hospice shifts the focus from cure to comfort and quality of life, so your loved one can spend their time as fully and peacefully as possible.
Can someone move from palliative care to hospice?
Yes. If a person’s condition changes and they become eligible and choose hospice, they can transition to hospice care.
Who decides if my loved one is eligible for hospice?
A physician certifies hospice eligibility. Our team can work with your loved one’s doctor to help determine whether hospice is appropriate.
Not Sure Which Is Right? Let’s Talk.
Our team is happy to answer your questions, with no obligation, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
323-545-2565