It’s easy to get confused about the difference between hospice care and palliative care. Hospice care is only available toward the end of someone’s life, while palliative care — special care focused on providing relief from symptoms, pain and stress — is available to anyone with a serious illness. While palliative care might be provided as part of hospice care, the opposite isn’t always the case. To be eligible for hospice care, a patient must:
Stop curative or life-prolonging treatments
Have a terminal or life-limiting condition (with 6 months or less to live)