3 Ways Hospice and Palliative Care Are Different

When we talk about hospice and palliative care, the two terms often exist within the same breath.

Photo by Dominik Lange on Unsplash

I’m both a former hospice nurse and a former family caregiver, so raising awareness about the benefits of hospice and palliative care is a passion of mine — which is why I continue to write and share about these topics in a variety of ways.

When my mom’s health started a steep decline toward the end of her life, hospice wasn’t yet an option for a variety of reasons. Though I was able to provide most of her care, she still needed to see a doctor on a regular basis. With her mobility a growing challenge, we faced limited options since she could no longer ride in the car. This is a common scenario for those with serious illness who are living in the community, where gaps in care options can be a big challenge.

Just as I was starting to wring my hands, a friend and former hospice colleague told me about a new community-based palliative care practice that had opened in our community. I contacted them and the doctor came out within the next few days to admit Mom and care for her needs. This service continued until she was ready for hospice in the last three weeks of her life, at which time a smooth transition between the two services took place.

Hospice and palliative care lingo

When we talk about hospice and palliative care, the two terms often exist within the same breath. There’s a good reason for that—since hospice care always includes palliative care. However, palliative care doesn’t always include hospice care.

Palliative care is often referred to as “comfort care” and it’s an essential component of the care that patients receive within the auspices of a hospice program. However, palliative care can also stand alone, providing a critical bridge across the gap of care that exists for many with serious illness—like Mom.

Although palliative care programs have existed within hospital settings for some time, community-based programs like the one we accessed are fairly new to the scene. Fortunately, they’re becoming increasingly available for those who need them.

3 ways hospice and palliative care are different

Here are three ways that hospice care and palliative care are different:

1. Hospice care is appropriate for those with a life expectancy of six months or less, but palliative care is appropriate for anyone with serious illness.

2. Hospice care focuses strictly on comfort care, but palliative care allows an individual to continue to pursue curative care while receiving comfort care.

3. Hospice care is paid for through the Hospice Medicare/Medicaid Benefit or traditional insurance, but palliative care is typically covered through traditional Medicare/Medicaid or insurance.

In both hospice and palliative care:

• A primary focus is the relief of pain and other symptoms.

• Care is provided through an interdisciplinary approach to address physical, spiritual, and psychosocial needs.

• Care is provided by practitioners skilled in providing a holistic approach to care that focuses on identifying patient and family goals to help make sure the care provided is that which the patient wants.

The National Alliance for Care at Home (formerly the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) provides a concise comparison of hospice and palliative care in their handout, “Pallative Care or Hospice? The right service at the right time for seriously ill individuals.”

Is palliative care right for you or your loved one?

If serious illness is involved, the answer is often a resounding “yes.” This is especially true if pain and symptom management is an issue—since palliative care professionals are experts in this area. They’re also experts in helping patients and families look at the “big picture” and plan accordingly, instead of getting caught in the siloes of care that often occur when numerous specialties are involved. When this happens, patients are too-often placed on a treatment treadmill that doesn’t align with their goals.

Through its consumer site: GetPalliativeCare.org, the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) offers a five-question assessment to help you determine if palliative care is right for your situation.

Finding a palliative care program in your area

Most hospitals have a palliative care team, so if you or a loved one are hospitalized and would like to be connected to these experts, just ask for a consult. However, finding a community-based palliative care provider may prove a little more difficult, since this model of care is not quite as common.

Although Mom received her care from an independent program, community-based palliative care is often provided through a hospice program, so contacting the hospice(s) in your area to see whether this option is available can be a great place to start. In addition, CAPC offers a searchable directory of palliative care providers.

To find additional support, it’s often best to talk to your healthcare provider first to discuss your condition, concerns, and available options—which may include palliative care. Your healthcare provider can then help you find a palliative care program in your area if one is available and make the referral you’ll likely need.

For more information, here are links to organizations that can help:

• CAPC’s Get Palliative Care

• National Alliance for Care at Home’s CaringInfo

• California State University’s Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. You should always consult with your own healthcare professional and/or other experts as appropriate for your individual needs.