Palliative Care v. Hospice Care
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Palliative Care v. Hospice Care

The Differences and Benefits

When facing a serious illness, understanding your care options can make a world of difference. While the terms palliative care and hospice are often used interchangeably, they’re distinctly different types of care, each focusing on a different step in an individual’s care and end-of-life journey.

Simply put, palliative care focuses on maintaining the highest quality of life while managing treatment and other needs while hospice care focuses on the period closest to death.

Here’s a deeper dive into how each supports individuals and families facing serious illness and end of life.

 

What is Palliative Care

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness, such as cancer, dementia, COPD, and heart failure. Often called supportive care, palliative care focuses improving quality of life and helping with symptoms.

Because people receiving palliative care may receive medical care for their symptoms along with treatment intended to cure their illness, palliative care aims to help patients understand their choices for medical treatment.

In addition to addressing medical needs, palliative care focuses on the emotional, spiritual, and social needs of the patient and their family. This all-encompassing care is typically provided by a team of specially trained doctors, nurses and other specialists who work to connect patients and families with the resources they need and minimize the disruptions their illness or treatments may cause in daily life.  

Key aspects of palliative care include:

  • Pain and symptom management

  • Help with setting care priorities and preferences

  • Support for patients and loved ones throughout the illness journey

  • Assistance with advance care planning

Palliative care can be provided in a variety of settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and at home.

The benefits of palliative care have been well-researched and documented. Beyond empowering individuals to control their care and quality of life, palliative care is associated with:

 

What is Hospice Care

Hospice care is specialized care for those in the last phase of a terminal illness when curative measures are no longer pursued; typically for those with a life expectancy of six months or less. 

While individuals in hospice do not receive curative treatments for their illness(es), they can get treatment that enhances quality of life. This may include medication for high blood pressure, anxiety, and pain and even special services like speech or physical therapy.

Key aspects of hospice care include:

  • Round-the-clock access to care

  • Pain and symptom relief

  • Emotional and spiritual support for patients and families

  • Bereavement services for loved ones

It’s important to note that if a patient’s condition improves or they decide they wish to resume curative care, they may leave and return to hospice care later.

Hospice care can be provided at home, in hospice centers, or other facilities.

The benefits of hospice care include:

  • Relief suffering

  • Help with medical and non-medical needs

  • Promotion of dignity

  • Support for family and caregivers

  • Closure for patients and families

 

By understanding palliative and hospice care, you and your loved ones can make informed decisions that are in line with your goals, values, and preferences.

For tips on talking to loved ones about serious illness and care—theirs or your own—click here. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to relay any wishes and decisions to the appropriate healthcare provider.

While these conversations may be difficult, it’s important to keep the end goal in mind: preserving personal comfort, dignity, and making the most of your time.

 

Allen Hutcheson, MD, is a family medicine physician and palliative care specialist at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. 

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Ways to Help

At this difficult time, leaders and staff at Southwestern Vermont Health Care appreciate support from our communities. There are three major ways for members of the community to help front-line staff in their efforts to save lives.


Donate Funds
If you are able, donating money to the Southwestern Vermont Health Care Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund is the most beneficial way to ensure staff have the vital equipment they need. The COVID-19 Relief Fund will be used to create additional negative pressure rooms; purchase life-saving supplies, such as ventilators, respirators, additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); implement a surge plan to expand patient care areas, including an off-site Respiratory Evaluation Center (REC); support of employees in distress; meet the need for assistance among patients and our communities. And now the CARES Act makes donating to non-profits more beneficial financially. Donations may be made online at svhealthcare.org/give-now.


Send Food to Staff
SVMC deployed an online tool to facilitate community members sending meals to front-line staff during the COVID-19 crisis. Community members can visit mealtrain.com/trains/v1w8yz and volunteer to purchase a meal for as few as two staff members or as many as 25. All recommended restaurants will make no-contact deliveries to SVMC in Bennington, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington, and the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Hoosick Falls, NY.

 

Donate Personal Protective Equipment
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is requesting the community to assist with donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The hospital currently needs the following PPE: N95 Masks, typically found in industrial businesses and home workshops; Nitrile gloves in all sizes; home-sewn cotton masks; and home-sewn cloth surgical caps, known also as scrub caps and skull caps. PPE donations are accepted through Catherine Hagadorn, program coordinator for the Quality, Safety, and Value Department, by e-mailing Catherine.Hagadorn@svhealthcare.org or calling 802-447-5600.

 

SVHC's medical team and essential staff are extremely grateful to the community for every contribution. Thank you! 

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