{"id":24226,"date":"2022-09-06T11:25:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T18:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/?p=24226"},"modified":"2025-04-03T16:05:12","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T23:05:12","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-palliative-care-and-hospice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/news\/what-is-the-difference-between-palliative-care-and-hospice\/","title":{"rendered":"Palliative Care &amp; Hospice Help Optimize Quality of Life"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article\">\n\t<header class=\"header\">\n\t\t<span class=\"type\"><\/span>\t\t<h1>Palliative Care &amp; Hospice Help Optimize Quality of Life<\/h1>\t\t<time>September 6, 2022<\/time>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div id=\"block_5379d3a1eda987ce9f07305aa64f2da8\" class=\"shs-block block-news-article entry-content\">\n\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>When a person has a serious, life-limiting illness, their health care needs often start adding up. From the management of symptoms, to navigation of the health care system, to grappling with the meaning of life and everything in between, additional support can improve quality of life. Loved ones may also need support with understanding the medical treatment, dealing with caregiver stress and planning for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Palliative care and hospice teams can provide this additional support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-palliative-care\">What Is Palliative Care?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Palliative care is a specialized form of medical care designed to improve quality of life for people with a serious illness that limits life expectancy or quality. This type of care is available to a patient of any age and at any stage of the illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTo palliate means to ease suffering, and that is what our role is, to help patients navigate the challenges of serious illness and to ease their suffering and the burdens of that illness,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/find-a-doctor\/terland-kelsey-1720273667\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kelsey Terland, MD<\/a>, of Samaritan Palliative Care. \u201cWhen we think about suffering, we often first think of pain, and symptom management is certainly one of our objectives, but palliative care is bigger than that. It\u2019s really about taking care of the whole person \u2013 body, mind and spirit. Palliative care can come along disease-directed treatments, such as chemotherapy, to provide additional support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Palliative care teams are comprised of experts in different fields \u2013 doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains, among others \u2013 who come together to support a patient and their families during serious illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-support-for-the-burdens-of-disease\">Support for the Burdens of Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While anyone with a disease that impacts their quality or length of life would qualify for palliative care, there are some conditions that tend to have more burdensome symptoms, such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease or dementia, for example. For these illnesses, having an extra layer of support from medical experts may benefit the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur team takes the time to ensure that a patient and their families have a good understanding of their diagnosis and prognosis. Members of the team can help them know what resources are available. We spend time exploring who each person is and what is most important to them to best understand their goals for their medical care,\u201d said Dr. Terland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Palliative care serves patients in the hospital as well as in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen a patient is hospitalized, hospital staff are working to treat the acute problem that got the patient into the hospital with the goal of getting them better and back home. As a consulting team, palliative care takes the 10,000-foot view of a person with their serious illness. We are able to spend time with a patient to find out their hopes and concerns,\u201d explained Dr. Terland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Community-based palliative care within Samaritan Health Services is currently only available to patients who have symptomatic heart failure and live in Linn County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because everyone\u2019s needs are different, each palliative care plan is customized to the individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSometimes, a patient may tell me they intend to do everything they can to fight the disease or prolong their life, and another may say they\u2019re tired and done with further treatment \u2013 people\u2019s goals for their care differ, and we tailor their medical care accordingly at each stage of the process,\u201d said Dr. Terland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-timing-of-palliative-care\">Timing of Palliative Care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The time to request palliative support also differs for everyone. But there are some overall guidelines, noted Dr. Terland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen the burdens of an illness are starting to add up and quality of life is impacted, when people feel they need a transition in their care but don\u2019t know how to do that, or when a patient has increasing symptoms and needs more support to manage those symptoms \u2013 these are some points when palliative care can be helpful,\u201d Dr. Terland explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most often, palliative care will be requested by a patient\u2019s physician, their cardiologist or oncologist, for example. But a patient or family member can request a palliative care referral from any of their medical providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once a patient is under the care of the palliative care team, support can last for short periods of time while someone is hospitalized, or for months or years in an outpatient setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a patient is at the point of no longer taking aggressive medical treatment and nearing the end of life, they can transition to a different form of palliative care called hospice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-hospice\">What Is Hospice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLike palliative care, hospice also focuses on managing symptoms and optimizing quality of life,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/find-a-doctor\/looney-emily-1265794697\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emily Looney, MD<\/a>, medical director of Samaritan Evergreen Hospice. \u201cHowever, hospice is uniquely designed for people who are likely in the last six months of their life, and for whom aggressive medical treatments are no longer wanted or no longer helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople choose to switch to hospice so that medical care and team-based support come to them in their home and they can avoid hospitalizations, regular office visits and lab draws,\u201d Dr. Looney said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People often have the misconception that hospice is a place. While Samaritan does have a 12-bed hospice house in Albany that accepts patients for short-term care, most hospice support is provided in the patient\u2019s home, however they define it \u2013 at a friend\u2019s house, in a nursing home or other facility or in the patient\u2019s private residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHospice is a visiting interdisciplinary team that helps manage a patient\u2019s symptoms, optimize comfort, and address the psychosocial concerns of patients and their families at the end of life,\u201d said Dr. Looney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This team includes nurses, physicians, and nurse practitioners to adjust medications and address other health care needs; hospice aides to provide bathing and other personal care; social workers to coordinate caregiving and resources, provide counseling and intervene in crisis situations; and chaplains to offer nondenominational spiritual support. Bereavement counselors are also available to loved ones after a patient has died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-make-every-day-the-best-it-can-be\">Make Every Day the Best It Can Be<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe goal of hospice is to make every day the best it can possibly be,\u201d said Dr. Looney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor many people that means prioritizing physical comfort to ensure that pain, shortness of breath and anxiety are proactively addressed,\u201d she said. \u201cOften, too, hospice will help patients conserve energy so they can spend time with family, take a special trip, or focus on meaningful activities such as life review. Every patient\u2019s hospice plan looks different, depending on their individual goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201d Hospice neither hastens nor delays death, Dr. Looney stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cInvolving hospice is not giving up, but rather shifting the goals and priorities for a patient\u2019s medical care,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-is-hospice-care-appropriate\">When Is Hospice Care Appropriate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While it can be difficult to predict where someone is in their journey with a disease, Dr. Looney noted that there are several signs that someone may be approaching the end of life and could benefit from hospice support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf a person is having a hard time managing their symptoms and disease without frequent trips to the hospital, doctor\u2019s office or emergency department, this can point to medical fragility indicating that they are nearing the end of their life,\u201d she said. \u201cFunctional decline \u2013 spending more time sitting or lying in bed \u2013 and burdensome symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath with minimal activity &#8211; can also be a strong predictor of life expectancy. Sustained weight loss, recurrent infections and falls are other signs that a patient may be eligible for hospice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-time-spent-with-the-patient\">More Time Spent With the Patient<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting to know a patient and their goals for care requires more time than the average visit to the doctor\u2019s office allows, something that is notably different in palliative care and hospice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn palliative care, I would typically ask a patient to tell me their hopes and worries about their disease,\u201d said Dr. Terland. \u201cI\u2019d ask, \u2018What are the things that if you couldn\u2019t do them anymore, that would change how you want your care?\u2019 Or, \u2018What are the things you\u2019re willing to go through with the hope of more time?\u2019 This conversation takes time, and their answers help to shape our care plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same is true for hospice, said Dr. Looney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTypical nurse visits to a patient\u2019s home may be two hours in length, up to several times a week,\u201d she said. \u201cSome patients and families want privacy and would prefer only minimal contact from hospice staff if their plan of care is stable, but others want the opportunity to get to know their support team and for the team to get to know them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, the hospice team is available 24\/7 to respond to emergencies and advise patients and family members about symptom management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-costs-of-palliative-care-amp-hospice\">Costs of Palliative Care &amp; Hospice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Coverage for palliative care varies by medical insurance plans. Many private insurers, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, cover palliative care, although there may be conditions, co-pays and deductibles, so be sure to talk with your insurer for details.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen someone elects hospice and is no longer pursuing curative treatment, hospice is covered at 100% by Medicare and many other insurers,\u201d said Dr. Looney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That coverage includes medications treating symptoms and addressing the diseases causing a limited life expectancy; medical equipment like hospital beds, wheelchairs, and oxygen; personal care supplies and the costs of professional staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always consult an insurance professional to be sure your plan covers your particular case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-help-for-your-unique-situation\">Help for Your Unique Situation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter where a person is in their journey with a serious disease, the experience can be lonely, painful and frightening. But Samaritan\u2019s palliative care and hospice teams can help ease these burdens by providing the support and resources that people need in times of medical crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about the services of Samaritan Palliative Care, call <a class=\"phone-link\" href=\"tel:541-812-5020\">541-812-5020<\/a>. To find out more about Samaritan Evergreen Hospice, call <a class=\"phone-link\" href=\"tel:541-812-4662\">541-812-4662<\/a>. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Medical Director Kelsey Terland, MD, oversees Samaritan Palliative Care, a multidisciplinary team supporting patients with serious illness. You can reach her at <a class=\"phone-link\" href=\"tel:541-812-5020\">541-812-5020<\/a>. Medical Director Emily Looney, MD, oversees Samaritan Evergreen Hospice, and also sees family medicine patients on a limited basis at <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/find-a-location\/samaritan-family-medicine-geary-st\/\">Samaritan Family Medicine \u2013 Geary St.<\/a> Contact her at <a class=\"phone-link\" href=\"tel:541-812-4662\">541-812-4662<\/a>. <\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<aside>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/elderly-man-and-caretaker-CO.jpg\" class=\"attachment-cta size-cta wp-post-image\" alt=\"Caretaker speaking with an elderly man.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/elderly-man-and-caretaker-CO.jpg 360w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/elderly-man-and-caretaker-CO-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/elderly-man-and-caretaker-CO-120x100.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t<\/aside>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Palliative care and hospice focus on managing symptoms and optimizing quality of life. Learn how they compare and how to choose the appropriate level of care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":13359,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_shs_workflow_notes":"September 06, 2022","_shs_exclude_from_navigation":false,"_shs_promote_article_on_blogs":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"news-topics":[290],"news-types":[270],"services":[242],"specialty":[34,38],"class_list":["post-24226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","news-topics-senior-health","news-types-feature-article","services-hospice-palliative-care","specialty-hospice","specialty-palliative-medicine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24226"},{"taxonomy":"news-topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topics?post=24226"},{"taxonomy":"news-types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-types?post=24226"},{"taxonomy":"services","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/services?post=24226"},{"taxonomy":"specialty","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialty?post=24226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}