There can come a time in your life when you need to make a difficult decision, whether to send an ill loved one to palliative care or hospice care. Both can bring comfort and relief, but they have some important differences. Learn everything you need to know here to help you make the best decision for your loved one.

Palliative Care

Palliative care has one goal and that’s to give those with a serious illness a better quality of life. It provides treatment to those with cancer, dementia, chronic disease, and other illnesses to allow for a more comfortable experience. Palliative care provides medical care for their symptoms and can also address emotional, social, and spiritual issues brought on by the illness. Organized services often include physical and occupational therapy, medication, and nutritional guidance to ease pain, shortness of breath, sleeping issues, and nausea. Counselling is often provided, and family members can also receive the support that they need to help cope with a loved one’s illness.

Palliative care can be helpful at any stage of an illness and is best provided at the time of diagnosis. This type of care can be administered by a specialist or any health care provider. It’s also not limited to hospitals and long-term care facilities – it can be arranged at the home with a care provider or in a clinic that can treat the illness.

Hospice Care

When it’s not possible to treat an illness, hospice care is often recommended. This type of care is only provided when the treatment for the disease has stopped and the person has a life expectancy of 6 months or less. Like palliative care, hospice care provides comfort to the patient and support to the families. However, it does not attempt to cure the illness, but to simply make the person feel more comfortable. Since it does not use any treatment methods and only symptom relief is provided, hospice care can be arranged in any type of setting. It can be offered at home or in a hospice facility, hospital or nursing home. Hospice care does provide a lot of support, both emotionally and physically for the patient, but the day-to-day care is often left up to the family and friends.

Whether you have a loved one who needs around-the-clock treatment or symptom care, our team at C-Care Health Services can give them the support and attention they need. Our private nursing team can be hired to visit the hospital, hospice, nursing facility or home to provide all the palliative care and services necessary to ensure your loved one is as comfortable and cared for as possible. Learn more today about our services and what we can provide for your family members or friend.