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When dealing with a terminal illness, the terms “Hospice Care” and “Palliative Care” are often used frequently. But what is Hospice Care? And what is Palliative Care? What is the difference? This article aims to answer those questions and describe the two in detail.
Now there is a reason why the two are heard and used in tandem with each other. This is because Hospice is indeed a form of Palliative Care. What does that mean?
Palliative Care focuses on decreasing the symptoms of a patient’s illness or condition. Depending on the medical institution, a professional team of medical care experts directly works with the patient extensively, providing symptom relief for the patient.
Research in recent years has suggested that the earlier a patient is aided with Palliative Care the better is it for the patient and their condition. This is due to the fact that a care program is tailor made to fit the patients needs, providing optimal results for the patient in their healing process.
With that being said, what is Hospice Care, and how different is it from Palliative Care?
As mentioned before, Hospice Care is a form of Palliative Care where care is provided for the end of life. Patients under Hospice Care are usually diagnosed with a terminal illness that severely limits life expectancy. Hospice Care is recommended for patients that have a life expectancy of six months or less.
Another notable difference in Hospice Care is that symptom relief is a priority. It should be noted that treatment for the diagnosed illness or condition is not provided. Hospice focuses on increasing the quality of life as much as possible for a patient before the end of life, treatment for illnesses (Palliative Care) often times affect the ability for patients to be with loved ones during such times.
At Green Meadows Hospice and Home Health Care, such services are provided with the upmost quality. Our highest priority is providing care for our patients.
To learn more about Hospice Care and Palliative care, or to schedule a free consultation, call (866) 838-2055 or contact us online.