palitive care or hospice

SUEZ · New User Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Posts: 8

What is the difference between palitive care and hospice?

Thanks
Sue

brainman · Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:16 pm Post subject: Re: palitive care or hospice

An apple is a fruit but not all fruits are apples Smile

. All hospices offer palliative care. But hospices also offer many other services. This is true if you are talking about these services for people in their own homes. If you are talking about residential hospice facilities and residential palliative care facilities (rarities in the US but common elsewhere), there is no difference.
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SUEZ · New User Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Posts: 8

Thanks for your response Jim, I have looked up the diffrence between hospice and palitive care but I am confused on what is considered treatment at this point. I understand comfort and dignity. I want my dads dignity and comfort to be a priority. He keeps going down (where he is sleepy and dilusional) to up (where he is very alert, stong and aware of everything). I know the lactulose keeps his amonia level down but I wonder if that is best. He just entered a pallitive care nursing home in another state, but he is walking and seems like his old self. I know this can change at any moment and that is why he is there but the thought of him there at this moment seems not right. If that makes any sense. I am visiting him a couple of times a week because I live in a diffrent state. I tried to get him here but thats not an option. Please help I am so confused!!
Sue

brainman · Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:36 am Post subject: Re: palitive care or hospice

Sue, I did forget to mention THE most important thing hospice and palliative care have in common: neither one will begin until a doctor says the person probably will only live 6 more months AND that treatment of any kind (other than for pain control) is useless. Since your father is still able to somewhat get around and take care of his basic needs, it is probably too early to say he only will live 6 more months. But then I do not fully know his condition.
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Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
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My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Twitter: @JimHawkins54

idobelieveinfairies · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:45 am Post subject: Re: palitive care or hospice

My experience is palliative care is usually done in a hospital/facility setting to keep the patient comfortable, clean, feed, safe and to give pain meds.
Hospice care is done at home until the time of death but would have to included family members taking care of him with hospice stopping by a few hours a day to check his condition and meds. Hospice will usually know when the time is near then it is up to the person or family to let them die at home or be moved to pallitive care at a facility that is 24 hours round the clock care. It doesn't really sound like he is ready for pallitive care. But I am not a doctor. Try your best to do what makes your father happy. My brother did hospice care at home. I stayed with him 24 hours a day but a few times I had to run a few short arrands and he did not like being alone but with hospice they don't offer 24 hour care at home. He did however want to die at home and not at a hospital or facility. I did not want to be their with him as he took his last breaths alone but I over came that for him. You can read some of my other post and you will see my experience with hospice. Hope this helps.

casbah70 · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:43 am Post subject: Palliative - Hospice

I'm a tech guy working for a non-profit care provider in western NC. I had to learn a lot about what hospice and palliative care was and what the differences were. Much of this, you all already know, but I think it will clear up some of the misunderstandings.

1. Hospice is for people with a prognosis of 6 month or less. Hospice care can take place in the home, hospital, assisted living facility or nursing home. It is traditionally home oriented, but often the patient is in no condition to be moved to the home. The focus of hospice care is not to cure, but to maintain the patient's comfort and dignity and to advocate for the patient. That means if the patient wants to remain at home, we will do everything we can to try to make that happen. Other patient choices, such as IV fluids, feeding tubes, DNR requests, etc... are respected. But that's just the physical side. Many hospices also address emotional and spiritual needs. Even to the point that at the patient's request, we will take steps to try to prevent well intended visitors from attempting bed-side religious conversions. Our chaplains are there to respect and protect the patient's spiritual desires. Bereavement counselors are also a part of what is offered, including specialized counseling for children.

2. Palliative care is not hospice dependent. Palliative care is for those whom are living with life limiting illnesses, but are not yet ready for hospice from the perspective of either the progression of their illness or not yet ready mentally for the transition. Palliative care can be received in conjunction with curative care. Some people want to fight all the way and that is their right. For them, palliative care offers help in dealing with the symptoms of the illness, while they seek curative treatment as well. Generally, palliative care providers will refer a patient to a hospice when the time is right, so that the patient can receive a higher level of physical care, as well as the social, spiritual and bereavement care offered.

Often, hospice care is referred to as a branch of palliative care and while that is true, it does create some confusion as to what is offered and when.

Not only do I work for a hospice, but my wife is a former hospice home care nurse and team-leader. She now works as a hospice admissions nurse, which involves a lot of explaining of benefits, services, etc... Looks like some of it wore off! But also, her mother came to live with us until her death last November and received palliative and hospice services. Keeping a loved one at home is extremely tough on the family members involved in taking care of the person, but being able to honor someone's wishes about where and how they die is the last gift you can give them.

I hope this all makes sense and I will try to check back here to see if there are any questions I can help address.

idobelieveinfairies · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:47 pm Post subject: Re: palitive care or hospice

Pretty much like I said. Thanks for the info.

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