Seniors and people with long-term illnesses may wonder what their medical care will look like as their health declines. There are many options for people with serious illnesses, including hospice and palliative care. Hospice and palliative care are similar, but hospice is usually 100% covered if a patient qualifies for it.
1. Who Is Eligible for Palliative Care?
An individual who is in any stage of a serious illness can seek palliative care. The goal of palliative care is to relieve symptoms in someone who is suffering from a long-term medical condition. It doesn’t matter whether other doctors are exploring a cure for your condition. You can receive palliative care for a chronic, complex, terminal or non-terminal illness.
Some people seek palliative care to keep them comfortable as they recover from major surgery. Others may choose it to help manage side effects from chemotherapy treatments. Palliative care is available for people with a wide range of illnesses, from multiple sclerosis to kidney disease.
2. Who Is Eligible for Hospice Care?
A patient who has a serious illness with a prognosis of fewer than six months to live is eligible for hospice care. A doctor must certify the prognosis based on the typical path of the illness.
The medical condition is usually defined as terminal when treatments are no longer working or the patient chooses to discontinue aggressive treatments. In other words, hospice care is only available toward the expected end of a patient’s life, when the patient is no longer undergoing active curative treatments.
Hospice doesn’t always mean that it’s the end. It can boost a patient’s health and well-being. If the patient’s situation improves and their life expectancy is extended, they will no longer be eligible.
3. What Does a Palliative Doctor Do Differently Than Other Doctors?
The goal of a palliative doctor is to keep a patient comfortable. A patient who is in palliative care may have a team of medical professionals working with them on a treatment plan. But those are not the palliative doctors.
The palliative doctors focus on easing symptoms and side effects of the medical condition or medications. They’re not treating the illness. They’re helping the patient to maintain a high quality of life despite the illness.
Palliative professionals may include doctors and non-medical team members who work together to support the patient’s medical, physical, psychological and personal needs. They coordinate with the treatment team to provide continuity of care and help the patient understand their diagnosis and management plan.
4. When Should You Enter Hospice or Palliative Care?
Many patients wait until the last minute to begin hospice care. Choosing this type of care may feel like a death sentence. However, delaying the decision may hinder a patient’s ability to maximize their quality of life in this final stage.
Deciding to seek hospice care doesn’t mean that there is no hope. This specialized care enhances well-being and comfort. When patients feel better, they are more empowered, satisfied and fulfilled.
The best time to enter hospice is different for every situation. If a patient is eligible, they should enter when their quality of life would be improved by this type of care.
You can opt for palliative care at any stage of an illness. Many patients choose palliative care when they need additional support and coordination to manage their condition. There is no time limit for palliative services.
5. Can You Leave Hospice Care Voluntarily?
Hospice care is intended for people who are expected to live no longer than six months. However, a patient’s situation can change. The prognosis could shift, extending the patient’s life expectancy. In that case, hospice care would be discontinued. It would be available again if the condition deteriorated and the patient regained eligibility.
You can choose to discontinue hospice care at any time and for any reason. Hospice benefits that are covered by a patient’s health care plan may be revoked when these services are terminated, however. In that case, you could opt for palliative care and pay out of pocket or through your insurance plan.
6. Can You Use Palliative and Hospice Care Simultaneously?
You can’t use hospice care at the same time that you’re actively undergoing therapeutic treatment for your medical condition. However, you can receive palliative and hospice care at the same time.
Many of the services that are offered under hospice care are intended to keep the patient comfortable. Therefore, they’re inherently palliative. Moreover, they’re hospice benefits that are covered under Medicaid and most insurance plans.
7. Where Can You Get Hospice and Palliative Care?
Both types of care can be provided at home or in a facility and on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Because it’s important to maximize the patient’s comfort, hospice and palliative services are often offered at home. A patient may also move into a facility or receive services at a nursing home or residential care facility.
In either case, a variety of professionals make up the care team. These include your primary care physician, nurses, home health care workers, social workers and physical therapists. Spiritual and psychological counselors are often involved in palliative care. In hospice, volunteers may offer additional services to improve patients’ well-being, such as massage and pet therapy.
A hospice or palliative care coordinator will manage this medical team to keep the patient well-informed and at ease. Most people have many questions about initiating this type of care. Reach out to a VNA care coordinator to learn more about palliative care in Monterey CA and the surrounding areas.