Relief from symptoms is an important aspect of medical care for anyone experiencing a serious chronic condition such as heart failure, cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Palliative and hospice care both focus on this part of your treatment; however, it’s important to know which type of care is most appropriate under your individual circumstances.
Palliative care involves medical, social, and emotional care and support to help provide relief. It can be provided at any stage of illness alongside other treatments intended to cure or improve your underlying condition and can involve a variety of medical specialists and professionals, including (but not limited to) doctors, nurses, social workers, and nutritionists. Ideally, palliative care should be provided as soon as possible after diagnosis to maintain your quality of life throughout the treatment process.
If treatment is no longer improving your condition, you could continue to receive palliative care focused on providing as much comfort as possible for the remainder of your life, or you may begin to receive hospice care if your doctor expects that you only have a short time left to live (typically six months or less).
Like palliative care, hospice care focuses on providing relief from symptoms and is offered in a variety of settings, such as at home, in a hospital, or in a nursing home. However, people who receive hospice care no longer receive treatments for their underlying illness. Care is focused solely on ensuring they are as comfortable as possible until death. This can involve most of the same types of medical care providers involved with palliative care. A member of the hospice team will visit regularly and someone will usually be available by phone as needed.
Hospice care at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center includes a variety of services and amenities, such as symptom management, nursing care, psychosocial and emotional support, and overnight accommodations for family members of patients, to provide you with maximum comfort and quality of life. To learn more, please visit our Hospice Care Services page.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.