Differing Approaches in Hospice and Palliative Care: An Examination
In the journey of living with serious illnesses, two types of care - palliative care and hospice - are designed to improve the quality of life for individuals and their families. Despite their similarities in easing symptom distress, these two forms of care have distinct approaches to providing comfort and support.
Palliative care, as recommended by palliative medicine physician Kyle Neale, DO, can be started during a serious illness, even while receiving curative or life-prolonging treatment. This care is aimed at managing discomfort, pain, and anxiety associated with chronic illnesses, and is now used to help people living with a wide range of diseases, including heart failure.
Palliative care specialists work with other medical specialists to provide an added layer of support for the patient, ensuring they feel as well as possible. This care can help improve the person's quality of life, and research shows that it can even extend life.
On the other hand, hospice care is initiated when the focus shifts from curative or life-prolonging treatment to comfort care. Hospice care is comfort care provided when life-prolonging care is no longer beneficial or desired. It can be received wherever the person is located, including homes, nursing facilities, and specialized hospice facilities.
Hospice care is interdisciplinary, involving physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains to support individuals and their families at the end of life. It shares the goal of easing symptom distress, such as pain, fatigue, depression, and more, but its focus is on providing comfort and support during the final stages of life.
Both palliative care and hospice provide caregivers with emotional and practical support, but they do so in different ways and at different stages of the illness. It is essential to understand the differences between these two forms of care to make informed decisions about the best approach for those living with serious illnesses.
Dr. Kyle Neale, a palliative care physician, encourages individuals and their families to seek care from a palliative care specialist or hospice when needed. By doing so, they can ensure that they receive the best possible care and support during their journey with serious illness.
