Both palliative care and hospice care provide
comfort. But palliative care can begin at diagnosis, and at the same
time as treatment. Hospice care begins after treatment of the
disease is stopped and when it is clear that the person is not going
to survive the illness.
Patients are eligible for hospice care
when a physician makes a clinical determination that life expectancy
is six months or less if the terminal illness runs its normal
course.
Hospice is an approach to care, so it is
not tied to a specific place. It can be offered in two types of
settings-at home or in a facility such as a nursing home, hospital, or
even in a separate hospice center.
Hospice care brings together a team of
people with special skills-among them nurses, doctors, social
workers, spiritual advisors, and trained volunteers. Everyone works
together with the person who is dying, the caregiver, and/or the
family to provide the medical, emotional, and spiritual support
needed.
A member of the hospice team visits regularly, and
someone is always available by phone-24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hospice may be covered by Medicare and other insurance companies;
check to see if insurance will cover your particular situation.
In Conclusion...
Hospice is comfort care without curative intent; the patient no longer has curative options or has chosen not to pursue treatment because the side effects outweigh the benefits. Palliative care is comfort care with or without curative intent.
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