Chronic illnesses affect not only the body but also the mind. They can cause so much pain, stress, and discomfort that they disrupt a patient’s daily routine and activities. Since incurable illnesses result in physical, psychosocial, and spiritual problems, patients must receive long-term care that uses a holistic approach.
When it comes to addressing physical, emotional, and other issues associated with chronic illnesses, health-care teams provide either palliative care or hospice care. Both of these holistic approaches aim to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
Despite having the same goal, palliative care and hospice care differ in many ways. The former can be given anytime after a person is diagnosed with a chronic illness, while the latter is often offered as end-of-life care. Apart from that, health-care teams can provide palliative care to patients undergoing treatment for either terminal or nonterminal illness.
Compassionate care, whether it’s hospice care or palliative care, is essential to people who are suffering from chronic illnesses. It not only eases the physical and emotional trauma of patients but also provides unwavering support to their families. If a patient needs holistic care and you don’t know which approach to take, check out our infographic.
This visual guide shows the difference between hospice care and palliative care in terms of treatment, care locations, and more. Aside from other helpful facts, the infographic will also give you an idea of how many Americans need and receive compassionate care.
Many of us are suffering from health conditions that can weaken us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That’s why we shouldn’t waste any time when it comes to providing compassionate care to patients with life-threatening illnesses.
Determine the most suitable health-care approach by learning more about hospice care and palliative care today.