Both palliative care and hospice focus on managing pain and improving quality of life, but they have some distinct differences that set them apart. While someone can receive palliative care while undergoing treatment for an illness, hospice care is for those who cannot get a curative treatment or when they decide to no longer receive curative treatment. Often, people in hospice care have less than six months to live.
Since both palliative care and hospice have similarities, understanding the difference between palliative care and hospice can help you know the circumstances where someone would use one or the other. If your loved one’s doctor has recommended palliative care or hospice, you can further understand what this means for your loved one’s future and can request our team here at The Overlook.
When someone has been diagnosed with an illness or disease, they may deal with side effects like pain or other symptoms that reduce their quality of life. While both palliative care and hospice provide care for people that revolves around making the person as comfortable as possible, they have different sets of criteria that sets these types of care apart.
Palliative care criteria involve the following:
Anyone undergoing treatment for a serious illness can receive palliative care
Palliative care can occur at the same time as a curative treatment and at any stage of the diagnosis
Palliative care can continue after the curative treatment has stopped
Hospice care is a bit different. In order for someone to receive hospice, they must meet certain criteria:
Have a terminal illness
Two doctors have determined a prognosis of six months or less
Have stopped receiving curative treatment
If you’re wondering if one type of care is better for your loved one, speaking with a physician about what kind of care they’d recommend can help you get your loved one the care they deserve.
Cost of Palliative Care vs Hospice
The costs of health care, like palliative care and hospice, differ because of what they cover. It’s important to know that health insurance also works differently for covering hospice and palliative care.
Palliative care costs can include medication, visiting your doctor, and various types of treatments that help you manage your pain symptoms. While Medicare and Medicaid may cover parts of it, you’ll likely have to cover co-pays out of pocket.
If you’re using private insurance, you’ll have to check with your provider to see what is covered and what isn’t.
All Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurances cover hospice. The Medicare benefit for hospice includes:
Medicine
Nursing
Social services
Medical equipment
Chaplain visits
Complementary therapies
Care at Palliative Care vs Hospice
If your loved one is receiving palliative care, they likely have a team made of medical specialists who will work with their primary care doctor. You can expect your loved one’s care team to help them with medical, social, emotional, and practical needs:
Pain management
Symptom management
Developing your care plan and changing it as needed
Assistance with insurance and advance directives
Spiritual care
Your loved one can receive treatment in a nursing home, hospital, outpatient clinic, and at home.
A hospice care team can comprise physicians, social workers, nurses, specialized therapists, clergy, and more. Hospice care teams also provide the following:
Caregiver coaching
Nursing care
Social work
Medication
Medical equipment
Spiritual counseling
Grief counseling and support
While both focus on providing comfort and helping the patient physically, emotionally, and spiritually, palliative care will help the patient manage pain as they undergo treatment, while hospice care will help the patient through the final stages of a terminal diagnosis.
Palliative Care or Hospice at The Overlook
The Overlook offers a variety of health services to help seniors get the care they deserve. Our community provides hospice and palliative care to help residents stay comfortable and cared for even during serious illness or end-of-life care.
Home care through our OVNA program supports adults 18 and above with a care team and personalized plan to meet the patient’s medical needs and personal goals. The program reaches more than 200 communities in the Central and West areas of Massachusetts, with our office located in Charlton.
With a team of dedicated professionals that serves more than 800 patients a day, The Overlook helps people get the treatment they need while staying comfortable at home.
Whether you’re looking for end-of-life care, support through a serious illness or professional, skilled help at home, the compassionate team at The Overlook is here for you. To learn more about our robust health services, call us at 508-434-2200.
The Overlook is a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, MA, that provides stellar amenities and services to its vibrant and active community. You’ll find a lot of reasons to love The Overlook including the gorgeous, 450-acre campus, the award-winning, chef-prepared dining and the wealth of programs and activities. But ultimately, what really makes …
Up on our hilltop in Charlton, Massachusetts, members of this community enjoy sharing a place that is filled with opportunities to learn, teach, grow and contribute. From the myriad social activities and amenities to your go-getter future neighbors, you can feel The Overlook buzzing with energy upon setting foot on our campus.
It started with two new friends taking regular walks around The Overlook’s scenic park-like grounds, and it quickly blossomed into one of the most vibrant resident-led committees at our Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, Massachusetts. This is the story of the beautification committee at The Overlook, which was founded by enthusiastic residents Burt …
What is the Difference Between Palliative Care and Hospice?
Both palliative care and hospice focus on managing pain and improving quality of life, but they have some distinct differences that set them apart. While someone can receive palliative care while undergoing treatment for an illness, hospice care is for those who cannot get a curative treatment or when they decide to no longer receive curative treatment. Often, people in hospice care have less than six months to live.
Since both palliative care and hospice have similarities, understanding the difference between palliative care and hospice can help you know the circumstances where someone would use one or the other. If your loved one’s doctor has recommended palliative care or hospice, you can further understand what this means for your loved one’s future and can request our team here at The Overlook.
Download or print the comparison here
Criteria for Palliative Care vs Hospice
When someone has been diagnosed with an illness or disease, they may deal with side effects like pain or other symptoms that reduce their quality of life. While both palliative care and hospice provide care for people that revolves around making the person as comfortable as possible, they have different sets of criteria that sets these types of care apart.
Palliative care criteria involve the following:
Hospice care is a bit different. In order for someone to receive hospice, they must meet certain criteria:
If you’re wondering if one type of care is better for your loved one, speaking with a physician about what kind of care they’d recommend can help you get your loved one the care they deserve.
Cost of Palliative Care vs Hospice
The costs of health care, like palliative care and hospice, differ because of what they cover. It’s important to know that health insurance also works differently for covering hospice and palliative care.
Palliative care costs can include medication, visiting your doctor, and various types of treatments that help you manage your pain symptoms. While Medicare and Medicaid may cover parts of it, you’ll likely have to cover co-pays out of pocket.
If you’re using private insurance, you’ll have to check with your provider to see what is covered and what isn’t.
All Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurances cover hospice. The Medicare benefit for hospice includes:
Care at Palliative Care vs Hospice
If your loved one is receiving palliative care, they likely have a team made of medical specialists who will work with their primary care doctor. You can expect your loved one’s care team to help them with medical, social, emotional, and practical needs:
Your loved one can receive treatment in a nursing home, hospital, outpatient clinic, and at home.
A hospice care team can comprise physicians, social workers, nurses, specialized therapists, clergy, and more. Hospice care teams also provide the following:
While both focus on providing comfort and helping the patient physically, emotionally, and spiritually, palliative care will help the patient manage pain as they undergo treatment, while hospice care will help the patient through the final stages of a terminal diagnosis.
Palliative Care or Hospice at The Overlook
The Overlook offers a variety of health services to help seniors get the care they deserve. Our community provides hospice and palliative care to help residents stay comfortable and cared for even during serious illness or end-of-life care.
Home care through our OVNA program supports adults 18 and above with a care team and personalized plan to meet the patient’s medical needs and personal goals. The program reaches more than 200 communities in the Central and West areas of Massachusetts, with our office located in Charlton.
With a team of dedicated professionals that serves more than 800 patients a day, The Overlook helps people get the treatment they need while staying comfortable at home.
Whether you’re looking for end-of-life care, support through a serious illness or professional, skilled help at home, the compassionate team at The Overlook is here for you. To learn more about our robust health services, call us at 508-434-2200.
Related Posts
Why Kathy Berg Loves Life at The Overlook
The Overlook is a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, MA, that provides stellar amenities and services to its vibrant and active community. You’ll find a lot of reasons to love The Overlook including the gorgeous, 450-acre campus, the award-winning, chef-prepared dining and the wealth of programs and activities. But ultimately, what really makes …
What’s Happening Lately at The Overlook? Find out on Our Facebook Page!
Up on our hilltop in Charlton, Massachusetts, members of this community enjoy sharing a place that is filled with opportunities to learn, teach, grow and contribute. From the myriad social activities and amenities to your go-getter future neighbors, you can feel The Overlook buzzing with energy upon setting foot on our campus.
Meet Burt and Dana: Two Friends at The Overlook Who Have Taken Charge of Making This CCRC in Charlton, MA Even More Beautiful!
It started with two new friends taking regular walks around The Overlook’s scenic park-like grounds, and it quickly blossomed into one of the most vibrant resident-led committees at our Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, Massachusetts. This is the story of the beautification committee at The Overlook, which was founded by enthusiastic residents Burt …