Suffering from a serious, life-limiting illness — or knowing a loved one who is going through it — is one of the most difficult things to experience in life. Out of the many concerns you’ll deal with at this time, getting proper care is one of the most important. Palliative care and hospice care are two modes of healthcare that can help individuals in this position.
There tends to be a lot of confusion around hospice care and palliative care. These terms are often used interchangeably, but the truth is that they refer to different things. Understanding both care modalities and what each involves is important for making the right choice for yourself or a loved one.
Palliative care (sometimes called comfort care) and hospice care share many things in common, too. In fact, palliative care is always a component of hospice care — that will become clear as we learn more about each. Ultimately, the goal of both palliative care and hospice care is to support people with serious illnesses or life-limiting medical problems. The job of caregivers in these fields is to improve their patients’ quality of life and overall comfort level.
Let's take a closer look at both of these care services so you can understand the differences, the similarities, and which type of care is the right one for you or your loved one.
What Is Palliative Care?
The goal of a palliative care program is to help anyone with a serious and life-limiting illness to feel more comfortable, and it may or may not have the goal of curative treatment. Palliative care, just like hospice care, also extends beyond the individual and can include care services like psychosocial or spiritual counseling for family members.
Palliative care differs from hospice care in that it can be administered while the patient is receiving medical treatment. Hospice care, on the other hand, occurs when the treatment process is no longer curative — we'll learn more about that in the next section.
Eligibility
Anyone with a serious illness is eligible for palliative healthcare, regardless of the stage of their illness. It can be given to an ill patient at any time during the course of the illness, whether the illness is terminal or not. This is a key difference between palliative and hospice care — palliative care can begin at the moment of diagnosis, while hospice care can only begin after the treatment of the illness is stopped.
Payment
Palliative care can be paid for in a variety of ways depending on your or your loved one's situation. Many private insurance plans do cover palliative services, but you'll want to be absolutely sure what is and isn't covered and be familiar with the details on out-of-pocket expenses, co-pays, etc.
Medicaid and Medicare cover some types of palliative care, but individuals still might be responsible for certain charges, like co-pays or medication expenses. And patients will need to meet certain criteria to be eligible for palliative care services through Medicare or Medicaid. Make sure to do your research so you know exactly what you or your loved one will be eligible for when it comes to palliative care.
Location and Care Team
Palliative care is most often administered in one's home, whether that's a private residence, assisted living facility, nursing home, or any other residence. It can also be administered in a hospital during a short-term hospital stay.
Any healthcare provider can administer palliative care, but there are many providers that specialize in this kind of care service. Palliative care can be given by a team of doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners (usually called a palliative care team), and the care team might also include physician assistants, dietitians, psychologists, counselors, social workers, chaplains, and others.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is end-of-life care designed to help a terminally ill patient feel more comfortable through symptom management and to make important end-of-life decisions. Like palliative care, hospice services can also extend to the family members or other close loved ones of the patient — emotional support and spiritual guidance are just two examples.
Eligibility
One of the big differences between hospice care and palliative care is that for an individual to be eligible for hospice services, they must have a life expectancy of six months or less. This designation must be determined by a doctor. Curative treatments and life-prolonging treatments must be stopped in order for a patient to be eligible for hospice care.
Payment
Hospice care is paid for in full by the Medicare Hospice Benefit and the Medicaid Hospice Benefit. It is usually also covered by private health insurance plans. So, in most cases, you or your loved one will be able to pay nothing at all or very little in order to receive hospice care. It's also worth noting that the Veteran's Administration covers hospice service in full or with small co-pays, so military veterans are always eligible for hospice care as well.
Location and Care Team
Hospice care is usually provided in a patient's home, whether that's a house, apartment, assisted living facility, nursing home, or a long-term care facility. Additionally, there are specific hospice facilities that house hospice patients, and hospice care can also be administered in a hospital setting.
The list of individuals who make up a hospice care team looks similar to that of a palliative care team: Doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners (including specialized nurses called hospice nurses), counselors, social workers, spiritual figures, and others could be a part of the team of caregivers. Ultimately, what the team looks like simply depends on the particular needs of the patient and his or her loved ones — this is true for both hospice care and palliative care.
Hospice vs. Palliative Care: What's Right for Me or My Loved One?
Hospice care and palliative care share many similarities. They both focus on helping a patient, medically and otherwise, while they deal with a life-limiting illness. Both types of care also offer services for family members and loved ones of the patient. And remember that palliative care is always a part of hospice care.
The main difference between the two is hospice care occurs when a patient is terminally ill and has six months or less to live. The focus is on keeping that patient as comfortable as possible and helping to wrap up their affairs during the final stage of life.
Palliative care, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily have to be administered when a patient is terminally ill. It can be employed while the patient is actively receiving treatment for their illness. The focus is on symptom relief and support for the patient and their loved ones while they progress through their illness. Palliative care could, of course, transition into hospice care if the patient's condition doesn't improve and they are diagnosed as terminally ill.
At the end of the day, the decision as to what kind of care is right for you or your loved one is up to the doctor, patient, and their loved ones. It depends on a variety of factors, including the patient's wishes, the condition or illness they're suffering from, their eligibility, coverage through insurance, and more. But knowing what both hospice and palliative care involve makes that decision much easier.
If you live alone or have a family member or loved one who does, consider Snug for your peace of mind. Our daily check-in app is designed for seniors who live alone — if you miss a check-in, we'll notify an emergency contact right away.