The Characteristics that Differentiate Hospice and Palliative Care

If you aren’t familiar with the difference between hospice care and palliative care, you’re really not alone. The details surrounding these aren’t really common knowledge until you become directly affected. When you or your loved one are faced with a serious medical condition, you need to consider many different factors. 

You want to ensure that you are making the correct decision when it comes to the course of care. This is because you will need to ensure that the proper treatments for symptom management are done and that spiritual and emotional needs are cared for. Juggling these aspects can make for a trying process. 

When it comes to terminal illness affecting your family or loved ones, you will need every single bit of support you can get. Now, let’s take a look at the characteristics that differentiate home hospice and palliative care. 

Defining Palliative Care

Palliative care can often begin as soon as a diagnosis begins. The overall goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life for the patient who is involved. Usually, palliative care is for patients who are dealing with advanced or complex illnesses.

These illnesses can include heart disease, cancer, dementia, lung disease, ALS, and AIDS/HIV. With palliative care, an attempt is made to manage symptoms, pain, and medication side effects.

Where Does Hospice Care Come In?

While palliative services are given at the same time as treatment, hospice begins when treatment ends. Hospice focuses on providing comfort. Though, the major difference is that the patient is no longer able to benefit from treatment in hospice and is likely to live for six months or less.

Hospice is used to help patients retain comfort, peace, and dignity during their last days while pain and other symptoms are limited. Usually, these programs will also include excellent support for the patient’s family. Depending on factors such as the patient’s condition, hospice care can be given in hospital, at home, or in a specialized hospice care facility. 

Palliative care and hospice care offer very similar services. However, they both have very different outcomes. If you’re dealing with either of these options as a patient or a patient relative or friend, you should be prepared. In the end, they are both here to ease the physical and mental pain. 

Get in touch with Lucky Palliative Services today to learn more to get started.

Additional Reading Resources on Hospice and Palliative Care:

• Identifying Signs and Recovery Steps of a Heart Attack
• Highlighting the Four Levels of Hospice Care