What Is Palliative Care? A Complete Guide for Patients and Families
By CRYSTAL BAI •
The short answer: Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on providing relief from pain, symptoms, and the stress of serious illness. Unlike hospice, palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness alongside curative treatment. Any patient with a serious illness can request a palliative care consultation — it does not mean giving up.
The Core Definition of Palliative Care
Palliative care (pronounced PAL-ee-uh-tiv) is a medical specialty focused on improving quality of life for patients with serious illness by providing relief from pain, symptoms, and the emotional and spiritual burdens of illness. It is provided by an interdisciplinary team — physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains — working alongside the primary treatment team.
The World Health Organization defines palliative care as care that "improves the quality of life of patients and families who face life-threatening illness, by providing pain and symptom relief, spiritual and psychosocial support from diagnosis to the end of life and bereavement."
What Palliative Care Is NOT
- It is NOT giving up on treatment or a cure
- It is NOT the same as hospice (though all hospice is palliative care)
- It is NOT only for cancer patients
- It is NOT only for those near death
- It does NOT shorten life (research suggests it may actually prolong life in some cases)
Who Benefits From Palliative Care
Palliative care is appropriate for patients with any serious illness at any stage, including:
- Cancer (at diagnosis and throughout treatment)
- Heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Kidney disease, liver disease
- Dementia and Parkinson's disease
- ALS and other neurological conditions
- Stroke and traumatic brain injury
- Pediatric serious illness
What Palliative Care Teams Do
- Assess and manage pain, nausea, breathlessness, fatigue, and other symptoms
- Facilitate communication between patients, families, and medical teams
- Support advance care planning and goals-of-care conversations
- Provide emotional and spiritual support to patients and families
- Help coordinate care across providers and settings
How to Access Palliative Care
Ask your physician, oncologist, or specialist for a palliative care referral. Palliative care is available in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and the community. Most major hospitals have inpatient palliative care teams. Some insurance plans cover outpatient palliative care — check your benefits.
The Difference Between Palliative Care and Hospice
Hospice is a type of palliative care specifically for people with a terminal prognosis of six months or less who have chosen comfort over curative treatment. Regular palliative care can be provided alongside curative treatment at any stage of illness, regardless of prognosis. When a patient transitions to hospice, they are choosing to receive palliative care exclusively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is palliative care the same as hospice?
No. Palliative care is an approach to care that can be provided at any stage of serious illness alongside curative treatment. Hospice is a specific level of care for people with a terminal prognosis of six months or less who have chosen comfort over curative treatment. All hospice is palliative care; not all palliative care is hospice.
When should I ask for palliative care?
As early as possible after a serious diagnosis. Research shows that early palliative care (even at the time of diagnosis) improves quality of life, reduces symptoms, and in some cancers may prolong survival. You don't need to be near death to benefit.
Does palliative care mean you are dying?
No. Palliative care is for anyone with a serious illness at any stage, including those receiving curative treatment. It does not mean you or your provider are giving up on treatment or a cure.
How do I get a palliative care referral?
Ask your oncologist, primary care physician, or specialist directly: 'Can you refer me to palliative care?' Most major hospitals have palliative care teams. If your physician is unfamiliar or reluctant, you can self-refer to some outpatient palliative care clinics.
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