Palliative Care

Is palliative care the same as hospice?

Hospice care and palliative care are not interchangeable phrases. All hospice care is palliative, but not all palliative care is hospice care.

Palliative and hospice care share the same goals to provide comfort through pain and symptoms management. In addition, both care systems embrace the concept of an interdisciplinary care team.

The differences between palliative and hospice care

• Palliative care is available to ALL patients and their families and is provided at any stage of a serious or chronic illness. Palliative care can also be provided alongside curative treatment.
• Hospice care is for patients who have a limited life expectancy. It is provided after all curative treatment has been attempted or the patient decides curative treatment is not preferred

Many patients and family members wait too long to seek hospice care, or they think they must stay home in bed and “be sick.” Nothing could be further from the truth. There will still be good days; it is important you make the most of them. We encourage you and your patient to take advantage of the good days, live life to the fullest, taking each day as it comes and making that day as memorable as it can possibly be.

Talk to your physician about palliative care or contact INTEGRIS Health Hospice at 405-848-8884 to find out what services are right for you and your family.