Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care
When you or a loved one is ill and needs extra care for symptom management and help with daily tasks, navigating the healthcare system can be confusing. If you’re wondering what the difference between palliative care and hospice care is, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn from an experienced hospice care agency what the differences are between palliative care vs. hospice care and what type of care is right for your loved one.
The Definitions
Hospice Care
By definition, hospice care is compassionate care with the aim of providing comfort, not a cure. Patients qualify for this care when they are diagnosed with a terminal illness and are expected to live six months or less based on a physician’s prognosis.
Palliative Care
The definition of palliative care also includes providing compassionate and comforting care to patients with the goal of symptom management and relief from the harms of physical and mental stress. Palliative is derived from the Latin word, pilliare, which means “to cloak”. The main difference of palliative care vs. hospice care is that patients with serious illnesses can pursue palliative care, but not necessarily those with terminal illnesses. Palliative care can be provided during diagnosis, while patients are seeking treatments, and at the end stages of life.
The Similarities of Care
While you may be wondering what the difference between palliative care and hospice care is, we’ll also look at the similarities. Both palliative and hospice care provide empathetic care and symptom management to make patients more comfortable and enhance their quality of life. The care that is provided by both promotes comfort, reduces stress, and offers complex symptom relief for the physical body and the mental state.
Both forms of care are provided by interdisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals. When deciding whether you or your loved one needs palliative care vs. hospice care, seeking the advice of an experienced social worker or healthcare professional can be very beneficial. Palliative care is common for patients with cancer, heart or kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and many others. Hospice is common for people with advanced stages of terminal illnesses.
Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care Teams
When looking at the healthcare professionals provided for palliative care vs. hospice care, they are very similar. Both forms of care are provided by interdisciplinary teams of specialized professionals. Each team will include certified nurses and nurse aids who help with routine care like medication administration, wound care, and meal assistance. Physicians work with both palliative and hospice patients to order diagnostic imaging and lab work as needed. Any physicians who work with the patient also communicate closely with their primary care physician to ensure the proper care plan is being executed.
Other team members like nutritionists and physical therapists work with the patient on a case-to-case basis. Social workers help advocate for the patient’s wishes, help them navigate the healthcare system, and find additional resources.
Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care: Qualifications
Your doctor is often the first one to advise you on the differences between palliative care vs hospice care. In order to qualify for palliative care, you will need a referral from your provider. One of the main differences between palliative care and hospice care is what qualifies patients for hospice care. A physician will need to certify that the patient’s life expectancy is six months or less, they have a decline in daily functions, and a clinical decline in condition over the last four to six months. Certain conditions and diseases have their own signifying factors that lead a physician to refer the patient to hospice care. After the six months of life expectancy has concluded, in order to continue hospice care the patient will need to be recertified by at least two physicians.
Social Support
While counseling and resources are given during both, there are differences between the social support for palliative care vs. hospice care. When receiving both palliative care and hospice care, the patient’s case manager will be able to connect them with community resources and support groups in which other people in similar situations can relate. Group support can be very beneficial to help you find comfort in others and help you learn to cope together.
Counselors can also provide individual and family counseling sessions. But what is the difference in counseling between palliative care and hospice care? Counseling for hospice care usually includes bereavement counseling which helps to prepare one for the impending end-of-life. Bereavement counseling is also offered to family members of the terminally ill to help them cope with their feelings while their family member is still alive and up to three years after they have passed.
Counseling during palliative care also helps patients and their families cope with their illnesses and can help provide hope for recovery. Another social support similarity in palliative care vs. hospice care is the option for spiritual counseling. A counselor trained in your religious beliefs can help you come to terms with what is happening and what your future may hold.
The Differences in Care Provided
When looking at the overall goals of palliative care vs. hospice care, you’ll find that hospice care professionals recognize that there is no chance of a cure for the patient. On the other hand, healthcare workers who provide palliative care typically do so at the same time the patient is seeking curative treatment. Palliative care is provided in any stage of the disease, while hospice services are given during the end stages of life.
What Insurance Covers
There are also very important differences in palliative care vs. hospice care in what is covered by insurance. Hospice care is typically completely covered by Medicare and Medicaid insurance. While you can also use private insurance, the patient might incur some out-of-pocket costs. For hospice to be covered by Medicare and Medicaid, patients must meet eligibility requirements. They must be certified by two physicians that they have six months or less to live as the disease progresses.
Private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid may cover parts of palliative care, but there will be out-of-pocket costs. That being said, patients do not have the same strict eligibility requirements. In palliative care, office visits to prescription charges can vary. In hospice care, medications, diagnostic services, medical equipment, social services, round-the-clock care, counseling services, and more are fully covered by Medicare and Medicaid.
Financial Resources
For patients who will incur out-of-pocket costs for either palliative care vs. hospice care, finances can become stressful on top of an already stressful situation. Luckily, social workers in both the palliative care team and hospice care team can help connect you with financial resources and financial advisors. You can opt to receive support to plan for future costs, living arrangements, and legal documents such as power of attorney and living wills.
Where Is Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care Provided?
One of the main differences between palliative care and hospice care is what facility the care is provided in. Palliative care is usually provided by an interdisciplinary team of healthcare workers in a hospital or similar setting. Palliative care is commonly given alongside treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Hospice care can also be given in a hospital, but on a short-term basis. Hospice care typically starts with what is called routine care, where nurses help with medications, meal prep, light housework, and other tasks of daily living in the patient’s residence. Routine care is provided in the patient’s home, whether their home is a house, apartment, nursing facility, or assisted living facility. When a medical crisis occurs, hospice patients can receive the in-patient level of care in which they are moved to a hospital or hospice facility for a short period while symptoms are managed. The goal of hospice care vs. palliative care is to honor the patient’s wishes to remain in their home as long as possible.
Aside from routine care and in-patient care, hospice also provides continuous care and respite care levels. Both of these levels are typically provided in the patient’s residence. Continuous care occurs when the patient’s symptoms have become unmanageable and they are experiencing extreme discomfort. Respite care happens when the primary caregiver, usually a family member, needs to step back and take a break for personal reasons or special events. Both continuous care and respite care are provided around the clock and are on a short-term basis.
Illness Education
When diagnosed with a serious or terminal illness there may be levels of shock, disbelief, denial, and other feelings that leave one feeling confused about their situation. When considering palliative care vs. hospice care, you’ll find that both care teams will offer to educate you on your illness and give advice on paths that will help bring you the most comfort.
What is the difference between palliative care and hospice care illness education? Palliative care team members can introduce you to different treatment options and help you weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the options you’d like to pursue as a curative treatment. Hospice care team members accept that curative treatments are no longer an option and help you discover medications and therapies that will enhance your quality of life. Additionally, both experienced and compassionate teams will help prepare you for what the future may hold.
Invaluable Benefits: Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care
For those facing the hardships of a serious or terminal illness, the primary caregiver is typically one or more family members. Newly introduced to their loved one now facing insufferable symptoms, they must also cope with deep feelings and find time in a new and changing schedule to take care of their loved one. When considering palliative care vs. hospice care, don’t delay in getting help. An entire healthcare team will be available to support you and your loved one with daily routine help and extra assistance when the patient’s symptoms become intense.
The difference between palliative care and hospice care is what can also be observed when caregiver burnout becomes overwhelming. As mentioned earlier, during each benefit period the patient and their family are offered respite care for up to five days. This gives the caregiver time to take care of their own physical and mental health while they can rest easy knowing their loved one is cared for 24/7 by trustworthy hospice professionals. Respite hospice care can also be used for times when the caregiver needs to leave town for special events and the patient cannot be left alone for long periods. When considering palliative care vs. hospice care, round-the-clock care is a key benefit that palliative care usually doesn’t provide unless crisis-level criteria are met.
Hospice Support Continues
After the patient has passed from their terminal illness, the family members will still be experiencing hardships and grief. Case managers and social workers on the hospice care team will continue to provide support during this difficult time and if requested may help make arrangements for your loved one’s funeral proceeding. They may call the funeral home, gather needed paperwork, and give advice on how to create a funeral service that honors the deceased wishes. In many cases, the hospice chaplain who provided spiritual support to the patient may be requested to speak during the funeral. As mentioned earlier, bereavement counseling continues to be offered to the family members after the patient has passed.
If you’re still on the fence about what the difference between palliative care and hospice care is, our staff members at A & H Hospice would be happy to give you a free consultation. We will listen to your unique situation and help you understand your best options. We are an experienced hospice agency that has been serving Southern California residents for many years. Contact us today to learn more about palliative care vs. hospice care.