There is a difference between palliative care and hospice care.

PALLIATIVE CARE near Charlton

Palliative care includes pain relief and focuses on relieving symptoms of a disease or disorder even if it cannot be cured. Palliative care can be provided with curative treatment and may begin at the time of diagnosis. If the patient’s physician believes ongoing treatment is no longer helping, a recommendation may be made to transition from palliative care to hospice care.

HOSPICE CARE near Charlton

Hospice care focuses on end-of-life care and comfort for the patient, plus support for loved ones.

In hospice care, it’s understood that the patient has a terminal illness and isn’t responding to medical attempts to cure or to slow a disease’s progress. Or the patient chooses not to undergo further curative treatments. Commonly, hospice is provided for a person whose doctor believes he or she has six months or less to live if the illness runs its natural course.

Where is care provided?

Hospice care usually takes place at home, but can be provided wherever the patient currently lives. At The Overlook, the majority of hospice care is provided in the patient’s residence; however, Overlook Hospice maintains contracts with acute and subacute institutions for inpatient care when the need arises.

What you can expect at The Overlook

We provide compassionate care with a focus on comfort and management of symptoms. Hospice embraces a philosophy of improving the quality of life for patients and families to live each day to its fullest in their home, wherever they call home.

Our hospice philosophy accepts dying as a natural part of life. When death is inevitable, hospice seeks neither to hasten death nor postpone it. Receiving hospice care doesn’t mean “giving up” or that death is imminent.

The earlier an individual receives hospice care, the more opportunity there is to address the patient’s needs. Some patients improve and may be discharged from hospice care.

Quality of Care

Working together, the team ensures quality patient care and medical advocacy, as well as spiritual and emotional support for the patient and their family.

The team is on call and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A nurse is always available to respond to medical emergencies, answer questions, and provide symptom management over the phone. If phone service is insufficient, the nurse on call will either make a home visit or triage the situation to the appropriate member of the team.

Volunteers are an integral part of the hospice team, providing companionship, emotional support, and short-term respite care. Volunteers must complete an application, orientation and training to ensure the person is right for this specialized role. Mandatory volunteer training programs include understanding hospice, confidentiality, working with families, listening skills, signs and symptoms of approaching death, loss and grief, and bereavement support.