Hospice and Palliative Care

What are the benefits of stopping life-prolonging treatment and focusing on symptom relief and comfort?

Medical care focused on comfort and highest quality of life possible until your death occurs, such as our hospice care, helps relieve your suffering with palliative care. For many people, this focus on medical care allows time and energy to be spent on the emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Also, services can be provided to support the needs of your family, friends, and/or caregivers.

Care focused on symptom relief and quality of life often involves the support of several health professionals, such as our hospice team. We can offer resources to help you address difficult emotional issues, such as relationships, financial issues, or fear of dying. Although challenging, facing these issues will usually resolve problems among you and your family.

What are the risks of stopping life-prolonging treatment and focusing on symptom relief and comfort?

You may fear that you will not receive the best available medical treatment if you stop pursuing treatments that prolong your life or attempt to cure your condition or slow it progression. Focusing on pain and symptom management does not mean that you will not have access to your physician or excellent care. Your physician still cares about you and your illness and will not abandon you because you have decided to focus on comfort. Also, aggressive treatment to prolong your life remains an option. If your condition changes, you can switch back to aggressive treatment.