Chronic pain can impact our lives in so many ways. Who doesn’t know someone dealing with physical/emotional pain or stress? The truth is that we can all benefit from alternative methods to deal with these issues. But the answer isn’t always in pill form. Our past reliance on opioids for pain relief has taught us to look for natural ways to help relieve pain. Let’s look at the difference between palliative care and hospice care relating to cancer treatment:
• Hospice Care is used to increase quality of life and support caregivers when a prognosis of less than 6 months is given.
• Palliative care can be used at any point in a serious illness to provide symptom relief and manage pain, as well as provide support with insurance forms or emotional needs.
What is Hospice care?
While palliative care is available to anyone with serious illness, hospice care is focused on patients with incurable disease or when the challenges of treatment outweigh the benefits for those in the end stage of illness.
Hospice care works to enhance quality of life and pain management with an understanding that no “curative” treatments are used. So, treatment for blood pressure or diabetes will be used to maintain quality of life, curative treatments like chemo or surgery will not. Hospice care has become an especially important tool for those facing incurable illness. It provides emotional support, medications and supplies, therapies and even coaching for caregivers. Hospice care specialists can create an environment of support that benefits patients and caregivers in the end of life process.
Who pays for hospice care?
• Private insurance, Medicare, and some state Medicaid plans cover hospice. There may be special funding through specific cancer groups and private partnerships.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is for anyone with a serious diagnosis, in any stage of the disease process, seeking relief of pain and discomfort, or assistance with care coordination with a focus on quality of life. Palliative care can be obtained alongside curative and therapeutic treatments such as dialysis, surgery or chemotherapy. Think of palliative care as a specially trained care team that works alongside your traditional medical treatment team.
PC works very well with traditional medicine and can be received at home, in nursing homes, or outpatient clinics. Services include symptom and pain management, assistance with insurance forms, care coordination, and may also assist with advanced directives or spiritual care. You can use palliative care services for many reasons that are not “end of life” related.
Who Pays for Palliative Care?
Many insurance companies pay for palliative care. Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Administration (VA) also cover palliative care in many situations.
Why Palliative Care?
Both hospice and palliative care use similar tools to ease pain, aid and support, and improve quality of life, but hospice care is focused on end of life and palliative care is used alongside curative treatments.
Palliative care is just another tool your medical team may utilize to bring relief of symptoms associated with cancer. The following link lists many types of alternative and complementary treatments that may be available to you or someone you know living with cancer.
Palliative care has grown in use and frequency in the recent decades. Treatments like acupuncture and massage have gained in popularity and Maine has so many excellent providers. Also, many insurance companies are paying some portion of care!
If you have questions about what palliative care is right for your situation please reach out to your healthcare provider.
And please see your provider to stay up to date on screenings for your age and sex.
About the Author
Ann Morrell is a practicing Registered Nurse and Health Content Writer. Her varied 12+ years of nursing experience ensure that her content provides technical information with practical insights.
I SCREEN, YOU SCREEN is a monthly initiative of the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine to share information with the public about the importance of early cancer detection and screening. Each month, there will be a focus on a different cancer, including some of the possible signs and symptoms that should prompt a conversation with your primary care provider.