Every year on the second Saturday of October the world acknowledges the importance of hospice and palliative care, with its "World Hospice and Palliative Care Day" events. This year, the London-based Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance, with nearly 500 organizational members in over 100 countries, marks its 10th year of hosting this campaign.
Both hospice and palliative care, although essential aspects of healthcare, have often been diminished in importance by medical entities in the United States, for a variety of reasons. However, the past twenty years or so have brought about new awareness and advocacy for these important approaches to care.
One aspect of this movement that continues to emerge is the difference between palliative care and hospice.
Palliative care is a branch of medicine whose aim is to improve quality of life for the patient. This means the primary goal is to reduce suffering, and to provide care that allows the patient to continue the daily activities that they value, for as long as possible. Palliative care is a holistic approach that seeks to improve the life of the patient.
While on palliative care, a person may choose to continue "curative care," which means they can continue any conventional medical treatments intended to cure their serious illness. Palliative care can help alleviate side effects from conventional treatments, which are intended to cure an illness, but which may also bring about suffering (for example, enduring the side effects of chemotherapy in order to cure the cancer). A person could be on palliative care for years, if that is appropriate and helpful to them in managing their chronic illness.
Hospice care is palliative by nature: hospice provides holistic supports, including medical, social, emotional, and spiritual, that help a person be more at ease as they approach end of life. However, in order to officially "enroll" in hospice care, a person must have a medical prognosis of life expectancy of six months or shorter. A person must also decline further curative care efforts (for example, discontinuing the chemotherapy). Once a person is on hospice care, the focus shifts from curative to comfort care. Medical care to alleviate suffering is still part of comfort care, and medical treatments for conditions other than the qualifying illness are still appropriate.
Once qualified for hospice, a person can be reassessed for continued care if they live longer than the expected six months. If doctors still feel the patient has fewer than six months to live, they continue hospice care. The best example of this is President Jimmy Carter, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday after 19 months on hospice care. This is a testament not only to President Carter's spirit, but to the quality and benefit that hospice can provide.
Enchanted Sky Hospice understands the complexities of end of life care. We provide physical, emotional, social, and spiritual supports to patients and their loved ones during this time. Please reach out with any questions or concerns about whether hospice care is right for you or a loved one.
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