Hospice and palliative care: understanding the difference
Understanding palliative and hospice care can feel overwhelming, but you don't need to make all decisions at once. This guide walks through the basics in simple terms.
What Is Palliative Care
- Learn that palliative care focuses on comfort and quality of life, not on curing an illness.
- Understand it can be used alongside curative treatment at any stage of serious illness.
- Know that a palliative care team typically includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and counselors. Palliative care is not the same as end-of-life care.
- Ask your loved one's doctor if a palliative care referral makes sense for their situation.
What Is Hospice Care
- Recognize that hospice is a type of palliative care used when someone is in the final phase of a terminal illness.
- Understand that hospice typically requires a doctor to confirm a prognosis of six months or less to live. This is not a hard deadline; people may live longer or shorter. Your doctor can discuss this.
- Learn that hospice provides pain relief, emotional support, and spiritual care in the home, hospital, or facility.
- Know that hospice services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurers. Talk to your loved one's insurance or doctor about specific coverage.
Key Differences at a Glance
- Remember: palliative care can start early and run alongside other treatments; hospice is typically started when curative treatment is no longer the goal.
- Note that palliative care has no time limit; hospice is usually for the final months of life.
- Understand both focus on dignity, comfort, and quality of life—they share the same values, different timing.
Next Steps
- Have a conversation with your loved one's primary care doctor about which option (if either) might be right now.
- If your loved one is in a hospital or facility, ask the care team to explain what they recommend.
- If you need help finding local palliative or hospice services, contact the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
- Take your time learning—you can revisit this conversation as your loved one's needs change.
This checklist is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your parent's doctor about their specific situation.