Palliative Care and Hospice

The objective of both hospice and palliative care is pain and symptom relief.  However, there are important differences.

Palliative Care

What is Palliative Care?

Dealing with a serious illness can be very difficult for many people and their families. It is provided alongside all other usual medical treatments. Palliative Care is a service that provides an extra layer of support to help deal with the stress, symptoms, and practical challenges of living with serious illness.

Palliative care is covered by Medi-Cal, and it is available in many settings such as homes, nursing facilities, long term care facilities, clinics, and hospitals.

Palliative Care

Services include:

  • Can be provided at any stage of a serious illness
  • Consultation with a care team that includes doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplain, and other specialists, working together with your main health care provider, to help you and your family understand what extra support you need to live as well as you can with your illness
  • Helping to coordinate different aspects of your care
  • Managing pain and other symptoms related to your illness or treatments
  • Guidance and resources to help you and your family think ahead about what kind of care and medical interventions are right for you
  • Telephone support for medication and care guidance

For additional information about how Palliative Care can help, please contact your Primary Care Physician.

Hospice Care

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice care offers patient focused and compassionate medical care for people with a life limiting illness or injury. It is an option for care that emphasizes quality of life for people when medical treatments can no longer cure a serious illness. 

Hospice is covered by Medi-Cal and Medicare, and provides care in homes, nursing facilities, and long-term care facilities.

Hospice Care

Services include:

  • Routine visits from trained medical staff for pain and symptom management
  • 24 hour phone availability, 7 days a week, for medical concerns and support
  • Medical equipment, certain medications, and supplies as needed
  • Short-term relief for people helping with caregiver duties (Respite Care)

For more information about Hospice care or for a Hospice evaluation, please contact your Primary Care Physician.

Resources

National Resource Links

Alzheimer's Foundation of America

Alzheimer's Foundation of America  is dedicated to meeting the educational, social, emotional and practical needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses, and their caregivers and families.

Caring Connections

Caring Connections provides people with information and support when they are planning ahead, caring for a loved one, living with an illness or grieving a loss.

Family Caregiver Alliance-National Center on Caregiving

Family Caregiver Alliance-National Center on Caregiving is a community-based nonprofit organization that addresses the needs of families and friends providing long-term care for loved ones at home. They offer various services, educational programs, and publications that are developed with caregivers' expressed needs in mind, to offer real support, essential information, and tools to manage the complex and demanding tasks of caregiving.

Get Palliative Care 
Get Palliative Care explains what palliative care is, provides guidance on whether palliative care may be right for you or a loved one and steps on how to get it. 

National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization

National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization is committed to improving end of life care and expanding access to hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for people dying in America and their loved ones. It also develops public and professional educational programs and materials to enhance understanding and availability of hospice and palliative care.

The Conversation Project

The Conversation Project is dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care. Planning kits and additional information are available in many languages.
 

State and Local Resource Links

Alzheimer's Association California Greater Los Angeles Chapter

Alzheimer's Association California Greater Los Angeles Chapter assists people with Alzheimer's and their families by offering a variety of diverse educational programs and various caregiver resources.

Cancer Support Community

Cancer Support Community is an international non-profit dedicated to providing support, education and hope to people affected by cancer. Services are available through a network of professionally-led community-based centers, hospitals, community oncology practices and online.

Partnership for Parents

Partnership for Parents is a bilingual online source of support and information for parents of children with life-threatening illnesses and grieving parents.

USC Family Caregiver Support Center

USC Family Caregiver Support Center (formerly Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center) helps families and communities master the challenges of caring for older adults with brain impairing conditions and/or adults with multiple health concerns. Services are low or no-cost to family caregivers and friends who help someone over the age of 60.  Contact the center at 855-USC-6060 (1-855-872-6060)