Hospice and palliative care are similar in their approach to treating patients with serious or life- limiting illnesses, but there are some key differences between the two.
Palliative care is a multi-disciplinary approach that provides relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of serious illness, and can be given alongside curative treatment. It is available to patients at any stage of their illness, and can be provided in a hospital, clinic, nursing home or other care facility, or at home.
Hospice care is a type of palliative care that is specifically designed for patients who have limited life expectancy and who have decided to forego further curative treatment. Hospice care is typically provided in the patient’s home, but it can also be provided in a hospice care center. The focus of hospice care is to provide comfort, dignity, and support to the patient and their family during the end of life.
In summary, both hospice care and palliative care aim to improve quality of life for patients with serious illnesses, but hospice care is a specific type of palliative care that is limited to patients with a limited life expectancy who have elected to forego curative treatment.
