Understanding the Difference Between Hospice and Palliative Care
When facing a serious illness, understanding your care options is crucial. For over 30 years, Gilchrist has provided a range of specialized care services, including hospice and palliative care. Understanding the differences between these can be challenging, and Gilchrist is here to provide clarity.
What is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is for patients who are in the final phases of a life-limiting illness. The goal of hospice is not to cure the illness but to offer comfort and dignity near the end of life. Hospice focuses on controlling pain and other symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients of all ages, including both adults and children.
Benefits of Choosing Hospice Care
- Symptom Control and Quality of Life: The primary focus is on controlling pain and other symptoms to improve the quality of life.
- Comprehensive Care Plans: Our care plans are tailored to reduce hospital visits and provide peace of mind through stable, predictable care, wherever you call home.
- 24/7 Access to Healthcare Experts: Patients and families can reach a healthcare professional anytime, ensuring constant support.
- Educational Support: Gilchrist offers education on disease progression and the dying process, empowering families to make informed decisions.
- Inclusive Care: Treatment includes the direct delivery of medications, supplies, and equipment to the home, along with support for personal care and hygiene needs.
- Family and Emotional Support: We provide extensive grief support before and after death, along with physical, emotional, social, and spiritual care.
- Additional Support Services: Services extend to respite care, volunteer support, and help navigating healthcare benefits and systems.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative Care focuses on comfort, quality of life, and wishes for care. Unlike hospice, palliative care is appropriate at any stage of a serious or chronic illness and is not limited to the last months of life. In addition, it can be combined with curative treatments, whereas hospice generally cannot. Gilchrist’s palliative care is available in select hospitals, long-term care centers, and homes, aiming to improve both the patient’s and their family’s quality of life.
How Palliative Care Supports Patients
- Goal-Oriented Care: Specialists take time to understand your care goals, ensuring treatments align with your wishes.
- Detailed Medical Guidance: The team explains your condition and progression, discusses treatment options, and helps manage symptoms.
- Emotional and Family Support: Emotional needs are addressed, and families are aided in understanding and navigating the healthcare landscape.
Who May Benefit from Palliative Care?
Patients suffering from conditions like heart disease, COPD, cancer, kidney failure, dementia, and other chronic illnesses can benefit from palliative care. It helps manage the complexities and symptoms associated with these conditions.
Hospice Care vs. Palliative Care: Understanding the Difference
The key difference between hospice and palliative care at Gilchrist lies in the nature and timing of the care:
- Hospice Care is specifically for those who are nearing the end of life, typically with a prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its usual course.
- Palliative Care can be provided at any stage of a serious illness and is not dependent on prognosis. It can be combined with curative treatments, whereas hospice generally cannot.
Both hospice and palliative care at Gilchrist ensure that patients receive compassionate, comprehensive care tailored to their needs and their families. Focusing on quality of life and symptom management, we help our patients live life to the fullest and as comfortably as possible.
For more information on how Gilchrist can support you or your loved one through hospice or palliative care, please visit our website at https://gilchristcares.org/