Comfort and healing come in many forms.

Palliative care provides specialized medical care focused on reliving pain and/or other symptoms of serious illness. This type of care aims to improve the quality of life for both the resident and their family. Palliative care does not mean that active treatments for a disease process must cease.

Hospice care is specifically for those nearing the end of life whether that be measured in days or many months. Hospice services are provided by a team of professionals whose goal is to maximize comfort and symptom relief while also addressing other needs of the resident and their family including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs.

Palliative and hospice services are often provided in the home. But for many families, in-home hospice may not be the best solution. For some, the degree of care required to meet the resident’s needs or make them comfortable may require twenty-four hour nursing care, be physically demanding on aged family members, or be difficult due to a home’s construction (cannot fit a hospital bed, difficulty bathing due to small bathroom, etc.).  In other cases, particularly for a surviving spouse, the thought of a loved one passing in the home can be emotionally difficult.

If you are in need of palliative services or you have chosen to no longer actively treat a terminal or life-limiting illness and are considering a symptom management approach outside of the home, our medical director and clinical team can assist with a referral to a hospice program. Through comfort and compassion our team can find a treatment plan that provides dignity and peace at any stage of life.