What’s Palliative Care? How is it different from Hospice?
Many Americans don’t take advantage of palliative care services when they need it. And as a result, they often suffer needlessly.
Some don’t know what palliative care is. Others think hospice care and palliative care are the same thing.
But knowing the difference can help you get the most out of your care when you’re being treated for a serious illness.
We know it can be confusing, so we’re going to answer the most common questions about palliative care below.
We’ll examine what palliative care is and answer questions about when to get palliative care and how you or your loved one can qualify.
What’s Palliative Care?
Palliative care helps those with serious illnesses manage pain and symptoms. It’s sometimes referred to as “comfort care.
Some of the primary benefits of palliative care are:
- Improves the quality of life
- Provides comfort to the patient
- Relieves stress
- Controls pain and other symptoms
- Manage side effects from medication
Palliative care helps those with serious illnesses manage pain and symptoms. It’s sometimes referred to as “comfort care.
Palliative care can also help with other health-related problems such as:
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Constipation
- Depression
The goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life while the individual is going through treatments to cure the disease. These are called curative treatments. Hospice care begins when these curative treatments have stopped.
Who Can Get Palliative Care?
Palliative care is available for anyone at any time after a serious diagnosis has been given. It’s not just for those who have cancer.
Palliative care is used by people who have:
- COPD
- Lung disease
- Dementia
- Heart disease
- ALS
- Liver disease
- Renal (kidney) failure
- AIDS
Regardless of a patient’s age, palliative care can be accessed at any stage of a serious illness.
Who Provides Palliative Care?
When you enter palliative care, you will have an entire team of caregivers to help you.
Members of this palliative care team include:
- Doctors
- Nurses and nurse practitioners
- Physical therapists
- Dieticians
- Social workers
- Pharmacists
- Chaplains or those who coordinate spiritual care
In certain cases, trained volunteers also provide assistance.
Where Does Palliative Care Take Place?
You can get palliative care in hospitals, nursing homes, and palliative care outpatient clinics.
Sometimes, palliative care can also be provided at home.
What is the difference between hospice and palliative care?
While these words are often used in place of each other, there is a big difference between the two. Hospice is not the same as palliative care.
We know it can be confusing. Here are a few of the main differences.
- Hospice cares for patients who have a life expectancy of six months or less.
- Palliative care provides relief for patients at any stage in a serious diagnosis. Patients can live for years after a serious illness is diagnosed.
There’s also another major difference between hospice and palliative care.
- When you are receiving palliative care, you can also receive treatment for your disease. These treatments can include dialysis, chemotherapy and even surgery.
- Hospice care begins only when all curative treatments have stopped.
When you are receiving palliative care, you can also receive treatment for your disease. Hospice care begins only when all curative treatments have stopped.
[Read more in this article: What Is The Difference Between Palliative Care and Hospice?]
When Can You Receive Palliative Care?
You or your loved one can start receiving palliative care as soon as the physician has diagnosed a serious illness.
If used early enough, palliative care often helps patients live longer.
Who Pays for Palliative Care?
Palliative care may be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance.
It’s important to remember that you’ll need to speak to your doctor about starting palliative care. He or she will be able to give you advice about the options that are available.
In some cases, a referral is required.
Medicare
Medicare part B can cover some of the treatments and medications. This can include doctor visits or help provided by nurses and social workers.
In certain cases, you might be responsible for copays or fees. For this reason, we encourage you to review your Medicare benefits and speak with your Medicare representative for more complete information.
Medicaid
This will be billed under standard Medicaid benefits. It’s important to ask for a fee schedule so you can understand completely what is covered and what is not. In general, Medicaid will cover doctor visits, certain treatments and medications.
Private Insurance Companies or HMOs
There is an extensive variety of policies when it comes to palliative care. Often, long-term care policies do provide some benefits. However, before beginning palliative care, it’s very important to speak with your representative.
Have Questions About Hospice?
We’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about hospice and palliative care so you won’t fall for common myths.
We’ve also put together a great list of answers to the most common questions about hospice, for free via email.
