Understanding Hospice and Palliative Care
When you or someone you love is facing a serious illness, it can be difficult to know what kind of care is right for your situation. Hospice and palliative care both focus on comfort, quality of life, and support for individuals and families—but they differ in when and how they are provided. Palliative care can begin at any stage of illness and can be offered alongside treatments meant to cure or manage a condition. Hospice care, on the other hand, is designed for those nearing the end of life, when the focus shifts entirely to comfort and dignity. Both types of care provide expert medical, emotional, and spiritual support—helping people live as fully as possible, for as long as possible.
Palliative Care
Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on improving quality of life for people living with a serious illness—at any stage of that illness. It is provided alongside other treatments and is designed to relieve symptoms, manage pain, and reduce the stress that often comes with a complex health condition.
A palliative care team typically includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and other professionals who work together with your existing providers to support your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The team helps you and your loved ones better understand your illness, make informed choices about treatment options, and coordinate care across settings—whether at home, in a clinic, or in the hospital.
You might benefit from palliative care if you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms such as pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, or anxiety due to a serious condition like heart failure, cancer, lung disease, dementia, or another chronic illness.
Palliative care helps you live as comfortably and meaningfully as possible, while still pursuing treatments and goals that matter most to you.
Palliative Care Resources
Minnesota Department of Health
MDH hosts a comprehensive website with information on palliative care and advance care planning.
GetPalliativeCare.org
Getpalliativecare.org is a website providing clear, comprehensive palliative care information for people living with a serious illness.
Palliative Care Provider Directory
The Palliative Care Provider Directory is a resource to help you or a loved one locate palliative care in your area. It includes all programs that have listed themselves with us. Please contact the palliative care program directly to confirm eligibility.
Hospice
When you or someone you love is facing a terminal illness, it’s natural to feel unsure about what comes next. Hospice simply means care that helps you live as fully and comfortably as possible, surrounded by support for both you and your loved ones.
Your goals, your comfort, and your values guide every part of the care plan. The team provides expert symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, and walks beside you with empathy so you don’t have to face this time alone.
Hospice care:
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Emphasizes living as fully as possible;
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Strives to provide relief from the physical, spiritual and emotional pain that often accompanies a life-limiting illness;
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Supports the whole individual and family;
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Provides grief support to the patient and the surviving family.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR HOSPICE CARE?
Hospice care is appropriate for people with any terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less, as determined by the patient’s provider. Care is provided regardless of age, nationality, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
HOW IS MY CARE PAID FOR?
Hospice services are paid for by Medicare, Medical Assistance (MA) , MinnesotaCare, most private insurance companies, or you may pay privately. Veterans’ benefits are also available. Your hospice program works with you and your family to identify ways to pay for services.
HOW DO I FIND A HOSPICE PROGRAM?
Choosing hospice care means that you have decided to pursue care focused on comfort to live as fully as possible without seeking a cure.
You can begin by talking to your provider about when hospice is appropriate for you. Let them know you are interested in hospice care, and ask for help in making that decision. You can also talk with your nurse or social worker.
You can also directly contact a hospice program. Some hospice programs have arrangements with hospitals and nursing homes for short-term
inpatient and respite care. If you prefer a particular hospital or facility, ask which hospice programs provide services there.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) licenses hospice programs and conducts on-site surveys so you can be assured that the hospice meets quality guidelines.
In addition, hospice programs can choose to become Medicare-certified and comply with federal guidelines for care and survey process. These Medicare-certified programs are listed on the Medicare Care Compare website and ranked on a star system, with 1 being low and 5 being the highest.