As we age, and perhaps encounter serious challenges to our health, questions arise about palliative care and hospice. These are two terms that often are confused. Individuals and families who are making medical plans, or who are facing a potentially life-limiting condition, should gain a better understanding of these options for chronic and end-of-life care. With a proud history of providing services to older residents of central New Jersey for over 40 years, The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living shares more information about palliative vs. hospice care.
Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care
Both hospice and palliative care are related to serious illnesses and other life-limiting medical challenges. In both types of care, the medical team works to manage symptoms related to ongoing treatments, as well as those that derive from the disease or chronic condition. However, palliative care is focused on helping patients gain more comfort and health during a cure or recovery. Patients who need end of life care are served by hospice care.
Here are some more details about the difference between hospice and palliative care:
Palliative Care
When patients receive a medical diagnosis, there are usually unpleasant or troublesome symptoms related to the disease or condition. When treatments are prescribed, such as chemotherapy or other invasive techniques, there may be side effects that are difficult to handle. In these cases, palliative care helps provide relief from pain, nausea, mobility issues, or other problems. During the curative process and therapies, palliative care is recommended to enhance healing.
Hospice Care
When a medical condition is not treatable, or the health of the individual is not considered to be recoverable, it may be time to choose hospice care. The goal of hospice care is to make day-to-day life more comfortable and meaningful for the patient. The care team may be interdisciplinary, including religious advisors, mental health counselors, and pain management specialists.
Individual Determinations Guide Medical Care
When patients choose to treat a disease or have a strong will to heal from injuries or other conditions, they may choose palliative care to help them during the healing process. The types of treatments they are willing to consider, and how long they want to keep treating the condition, may be determined by individual considerations.
Medical decisions often are influenced by the faith of the individual, or their ethical beliefs, as well as physical, mental, and emotional states. When patients choose to discontinue treatments or medical providers determine that they must be suspended, patients often choose hospice as they prepare to die with dignity.
Patients may receive palliative care that ends with recovery, or they may choose it before they proceed to a hospice model. The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living provides both types of care within our assisted living community and memory care services, as well as for individuals at home.
Help Others Access Compassionate End-of-Life Care
Would you like to help older individuals in Somerset, NJ, and the surrounding counties of central New Jersey receive hospice care services? We encourage you to donate to Stein Hospice at The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living. We provide services throughout the community, including pain management, emotional and spiritual support, 24/7 nursing care, medication management, complementary comfort therapies, and bereavement support for family and friends.
Explore Care Options for Seniors in New Jersey
Do you still have questions about palliative care vs. hospice? The caring professionals at The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living can help. We provide care services for older individuals honoring the values of our Jewish tradition and welcome people of all faiths and walks of life. Discover independent assisted living options and activities for older individuals in central New Jersey, including compassionate palliative care and hospice services. Contact us by calling 732-649-3502 or sending an email to [email protected].