Glossary

Hospice vs. Palliative Care

Definition

Palliative care is comfort-focused care available at any stage of a serious illness; hospice is palliative care for someone with a life expectancy of six months or less who has chosen to stop curative treatment.

Both focus on quality of life, symptom management, and emotional support. The key difference: palliative care can run alongside curative treatment; hospice begins when curative treatment stops.

Medicare's hospice benefit pays for hospice care for terminally ill beneficiaries, including nursing, social work, chaplaincy, medications related to the terminal illness, and bereavement support.

Related terms

POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) — A portable medical order signed by a physician that specifies what life-sustaining treatments a seriously ill or frail patient does and does not want.

Sources

Sandwich is a directory and information site. This glossary is not legal, medical, or financial advice. For decisions that affect your family, consult a licensed professional. Editorial policy.

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