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| Quick Answer: Palliative care manages symptoms and improves quality of life for someone with a serious illness, and can start at any stage, even alongside curative treatment. Hospice care is for those nearing the end of life, generally with a prognosis of six months or less, and focuses on comfort rather than treatment. Both can be provided at home, and non-medical home care can support either one. |
When you have an older adult at home with a serious illness, you want to give them the best care that’s when you might come across terms such as palliative care and hospice care at home.
If you have never heard of these, they might sound similar, but they have some significant differences. Understanding these differences will help you make informed decisions.
The distinction between palliative care and hospice care matters when deciding what type of support is appropriate at home. Both approaches emphasize comfort and quality of life, but eligibility, goals, and treatment options can differ.
This blog discusses how the care options differ and which one is right for you.
Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on improving quality of life for people living with serious illnesses. It helps manage symptoms such as pain, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, or emotional distress.
Palliative care does not necessarily mean that someone is approaching the end of life. It can be provided alongside treatments intended to manage or treat an illness.
For example, an older adult receiving treatment for cancer, heart failure, or another serious condition can receive palliative care to help manage symptoms alongside the cancer treatment. The aim is to make life easier for a patient.
Hospice is a specialized, comfort-focused form of care for people approaching the end of life. In the United States, Medicare hospice eligibility generally requires a physician and hospice physician to certify that the person has a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness follows its expected course.
Hospice focuses on comfort rather than attempts to cure or control the terminal illness. Services can include nursing care, symptom management, medical equipment, medications related to the terminal illness, social services, spiritual support, and assistance for family caregivers.
It can be provided at home so patients can receive end-of-life care in familiar surroundings.
Here are the biggest differences between the two care options:
Palliative care:
Hospice care:
In both cases, care can take place at home. The appropriate option depends on the person’s medical situation, goals, eligibility, and healthcare plan.
| Expert Insight Families almost always come to us thinking they have to choose between getting treatment and getting comfort. Palliative care is proof that isn’t true; it can run right alongside chemo or cardiac treatment. The bigger mistake I see is families waiting for a doctor to bring it up first. You can ask about palliative care the day of a serious diagnosis. You don’t need permission to ask the question early. Lydia Gibson, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC | Owner & Operator |
There is no single answer to when you should consider in-home care for a loved one.
When a loved one has a chronic illness, wherein they need additional support managing symptoms, palliative care can be considered.
Hospice becomes an option when a healthcare team determines that a terminal illness has progressed to the point where the person is likely to have six months or less to live if the illness follows its usual course.
It’s always best to start early. Don’t make the mistake of waiting for too long, as most people do. That delay may limit the support available to you and your family.
Families sometimes confuse non-medical home care vs. hospice, but they are not the same service.
Non-medical home care focuses on assistance with everyday activities rather than medical treatment. Depending on the care plan, a caregiver can help with:
Hospice, by contrast, is a coordinated medical and supportive service for people approaching the end of life. Hospice teams can include physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual care professionals, aides, and other specialists.
These forms of support sometimes complement one another. For example, a family can receive hospice services while also arranging additional non-medical caregiving assistance for everyday needs.
Enrolling in hospice doesn’t make you eligible for round-the-clock care.
In reality, routine hospice care does not provide continuous 24-hour custodial care. Hospice teams provide support, including 24/7 phone access, while family members or other caregivers still provide much of the day-to-day caregiving at home. This is often where 24-hour non-medical home care steps in to fill those hours.
Medicare provides a continuous home care level for short periods when a patient is experiencing a qualifying crisis, but this differs from permanent, round-the-clock caregiving.
The decision between palliative care, hospice, and non-medical home care depends upon the individual’s medical needs, personal wishes, treatment goals, and family circumstances.
Consult your loved one’s physician to understand the illness and whether they are nearing the end of life. Ask about current treatment, health goals, symptom management, and the level of assistance needed at home. If a recent hospital stay is part of the picture, our transition of care support can also help coordinate that first stretch home.
Consider your personal responsibilities as well, and decide which care type best fits your loved one’s needs.
| “Excellence support from the office and clinical staff. The caregivers were outstanding. Dependable, on time, very caring. The fees are reasonable, and the service is excellent. Certainly angels sent from HEAVEN!” — Peggy Perkins-Fricks, verified client review |
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Palliative care and hospice care- don’t get confused between the two if you want to choose a care plan. Consult your doctors and healthcare team to better understand your health condition and which type of care you need.
At ComForCare Home Care, we offer every type of care option, including palliative care, hospice, and non-Medicare daily care. Our team understands your needs and then creates a plan that best suits your situation.
Contact us or call us at (856) 238-1491 for more information.
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