Hospice, Palliative: Defining the Terms

By Lois Thomson

If you or a loved one is struggling with health issues and nearing the end of life, you might be confused by the different options of care that are available.  Two of the main ones are palliative care and hospice, and while there are some similarities, the differences can be the determining factor.  Perhaps the biggest contrast is that with palliative care, treatments that may help to improve the illness continue, whereas in hospice, they do not. 

The main focus of palliative care is improving quality of life for people with serious illnesses, and it may incorporate different types of doctors and other care providers.  The care is coordinated to make sure it matches the patient's goals and values.

At some point, it may not be possible to cure a serious illness, or a patient may decide not to endure certain treatments.  Hospice was designed for this situation and will likely then be the better option.  The patient beginning hospice care realizes that his or her illness is not responding to medical efforts to cure it or to slow the disease's progress.

Like palliative care, hospice provides comfort care as well as support for the family, but in hospice, attempts to cure the person's illness are stopped.  Hospice is provided for those with a terminal illness whose physician believes they have six months or fewer to live.