Does palliative medicine provide hospice care?

Their role commonly includes controlling distressing symptoms, reviewing medicines, discussing care preferences, and supporting family caregivers. Nurses, social workers, counsellors, spiritual-care providers, pharmacists, and other professionals may also contribute according to the person's wishes and needs.

Palliative care can accompany cancer-directed treatment at different stages of serious illness. Hospice is a specific model centred on comfort and quality of life when care goals have shifted away from trying to cure the illness. Depending on the service and clinical need, hospice support may be delivered at home, in a dedicated facility, in a nursing setting, or in hospital.

Share what matters most to the patient, including preferred place of care, acceptable trade-offs between alertness and symptom relief, cultural or spiritual needs, and who should help with decisions. Keep contact details, medicines, care instructions, and any advance-care documents accessible. Make sure caregivers know whom to call when symptoms change and how to obtain replacement supplies.

Contact the hospice service promptly for pain, breathlessness, agitation, vomiting, new confusion, trouble swallowing medicines, a fall, bleeding, or caregiver exhaustion. Use the service's urgent number when symptoms are severe or changing quickly. If the team cannot be reached and there is major bleeding, a seizure, collapse, or intense breathing distress, follow the agreed emergency plan and seek urgent medical help.

Ask which services are included, where care can be given, who visits, and how often needs are reassessed. Clarify the after-hours response, medicine delivery, caregiver teaching, respite options, and what happens if symptoms can no longer be managed in the current setting.