Palliative Care and Hospice: A Simple Guide for Seniors and Families

  • Palliative care focuses on comfort and quality of life at any stage of a serious illness.
  • Hospice is palliative care for people with a life expectancy of six months or less.
  • Both use a team approach to manage pain, stress, and symptoms while supporting families.
  • Medicare covers hospice for eligible patients; many palliative services are covered under regular Medicare/Medicare Advantage benefits.
Doctor providing compassionate palliative care to a patient living with serious illness.

What Is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is specialized medical support that helps you feel better while you live with a serious illness. It can be provided alongside treatments like chemotherapy, dialysis, or heart medications. The goal is comfort, not cure.

Palliative care can help with:

  • Pain, shortness of breath, nausea, sleep, and fatigue
  • Anxiety, depression, and stress
  • Understanding treatment choices and planning ahead
  • Coordinating care among your doctors and services
  • Support for caregivers

Where it’s provided:

  • At home
  • In clinics and hospitals
  • In nursing homes or assisted living

Who It’s For:

  • People living with serious illnesses (heart disease, COPD, cancer, dementia, kidney disease, Parkinson’s, stroke, and others), at any stage.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice is a type of palliative care for people likely in the last six months of life if the illness follows its usual course. The focus is on comfort, dignity, and support for both the patient and family. Hospice does not include treatments that aim to cure the terminal illness, but it does treat symptoms very actively.

Hospice services often include:

  • Pain and symptom management
  • Medications and medical supplies related to the terminal illness
  • Nurse visits and 24/7 on‑call support
  • Home health aides for personal care
  • Social workers and chaplains
  • Trained volunteers
  • Physical, occupational, or speech therapy when helpful
  • Short-term inpatient care for complex symptoms
  • Short-term respite care to give family caregivers a break
  • Bereavement support for family members after a death
Hospice nurse supporting a terminally ill patient with comfort and compassion.

Your Care Team

  • You and your family or caregivers
  • Your primary care doctor
  • Hospice or palliative care physician
  • Nurses and nurse practitioners
  • Social worker
  • Home health aide
  • Chaplain or spiritual counselor
  • Volunteers
  • Therapists (physical, occupational, speech), as needed

Palliative Care vs. Hospice: Key Differences

  • Timing:
    • Palliative care: Any time during a serious illness, even with curative treatments.
    • Hospice: When life expectancy is about six months or less and you elect comfort-focused care for the terminal illness.
  • Treatments:
    • Palliative care: Can be given with ongoing treatments aimed at cure or control.
    • Hospice: Focuses on comfort; curative treatments for the terminal illness are usually stopped.
  • Coverage:
    • Palliative care: Often covered under standard medical benefits (Medicare/Medicare Advantage/Medicaid/private insurance) as specialist and support services.
    • Hospice: Covered under the Medicare Hospice Benefit for those who qualify; most private plans and Medicaid also cover hospice.

Medicare and Hospice Coverage (What to Know)

You may qualify for Medicare-covered hospice if:

  • You have Medicare Part A.
  • Your doctor and the hospice medical director certify a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its usual course.
  • You choose hospice care for your terminal illness (you may stop hospice at any time and resume curative care if you wish).
  • You receive services from a Medicare-approved hospice provider.

What you may pay:

  • Up to a small copayment (often up to $5) for each prescription related to symptom control
  • 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care
  • Room and board are not covered if you live in a nursing home or assisted living facility, except during approved inpatient or respite stays

Other coverage notes:

  • Up to a small copayment (often up to $5) for each prescription related to symptom control
  • 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care
  • Room and board are not covered if you live in a nursing home or assisted living facility, except during approved inpatient or respite stays

Other coverage notes:

  • You can continue to see your regular doctors for care unrelated to your terminal illness.
  • You can change hospice providers or revoke hospice at any time.
  • Medicare Advantage plans also cover hospice; the details of how services are coordinated can vary by plan.

When to Consider Palliative Care

  • You have symptoms (pain, breathlessness, nausea, anxiety, poor sleep) that affect daily life
  • You want help understanding options and planning care
  • You’re going in and out of the hospital and want more support at home
  • Your caregiver needs help and resources

When to Consider Hospice

  • Treatments are no longer helping or feel too burdensome
  • Rapid decline in weight, strength, or ability to do daily tasks
  • More frequent hospital or ER visits
  • Your goal is comfort, dignity, and time at home with loved ones

How to Get Started

  • Ask your doctor for a palliative care or hospice referral.
  • Call a local, Medicare-certified hospice or palliative care program to discuss options.
  • Request a free goals-of-care conversation to review your wishes, values, and support needs.

Next Steps (Get Help Today)

  • Call to speak with a nurse about symptoms and support options
  • Request a free in-home or virtual assessment
  • Get a personalized comfort-care plan within 24–48 hours
  • Ask about 24/7 on-call support and same-day admissions when needed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is palliative care the same as hospice?
No. Palliative care is for any stage of serious illness and can be combined with curative treatments. Hospice is for the last months of life when the focus is comfort.
Will I lose my doctor if I choose hospice?
No. You can keep your primary doctor, and a hospice physician joins your care team.
Can I leave hospice if I change my mind?
Yes, you can revoke hospice at any time and resume curative treatment.
Does Medicare cover palliative care?
Medicare does not have a separate “palliative care” benefit, but many palliative services are covered under your regular benefits (doctor visits, nursing, social work, counseling). Coverage varies by plan and setting.
Where is hospice provided?
Usually at home. It can also be provided in nursing homes, assisted living, or inpatient hospice units when needed.
What if I live alone?
Hospice and palliative teams coordinate support services, equipment, and community resources. Ask about extra caregiver support and respite options.