Comfort care is just what it sounds, a point of care to keep patients comfortable. This type of care is technically for every patient. Every patient is in our care for us to help keep comfortable. I have taken care of several patients including a couple of family member at the end-of-life care. The comfort care and end-of-life care can be placed into the same category. The comfort care can be divided into two separate categories: palliative care and hospice. I have heard these two terms, at times, used interchangeably. Although these terms are similar they are distinct in definitions.
Let’s start with Palliative care. Palliative care is the care or patient to keep them comfortable, this could include all treatment, both curative treatment as well as symptom control. Technically every patient under any type of care is considered palliative. Although this term is usually used with patients with a terminal illness who are facing end-of-life even if they are not immediately dying. The exact measure of medical attention and treatment is more defined by the patient and the family. A patient with a cancer diagnosis can still receive radiation or chemo, or if the patient feels they can also opt out as well.
Hospice is a little different. Hospice patients are those with six months or less of a life expectancy. At this point, any curative treatment is stopped. The objective here is to make the patient comfortable and work to alleviate pain or other symptoms. The use of antiemetics and pain medication will be used to enjoy the patient is in as little pain or discomfort. Patients can be placed in hospice as either inpatient or outpatient. In the hospital, nurses and techs will check on the patient, administer medications, and help out the family as well. Many patients decide to do hospice at home, a nurse will go to your home weekly or daily to check in on the patient and family. A family’s medical experience or tradition they may prefer a patient at home, some traditions after death they want only the female family members to prepare and clean the body, or the body cannot be touched by anyone for the duration of six to eight hours. These are just a few examples of what I have seen first hand. Usually, when a hospice patient is home the hospice program will give the family guideline, one of which is to not bring the patient to the hospital, unless they exhibit a symptom that can not be handled at home, such as status epilepticus. If a new symptom arises they encourage the family to call the hospice nurse, for further information.
Just remember to not use the two terms interchangeably, they both have to do with end-of-life, but hospice has some rules and is more of the time limiting. Comfort care patients take a certain amount of sensitivity and the ability to read a room, everyone mourns differently.