Starting hospice can feel overwhelming. Patients and families may be processing a new diagnosis, a changing prognosis, physical and emotional turmoil, and difficult decisions about what comes next. For many people the word hospice brings fear. This fear often comes from the same place, the unknown. We like to know what happens next. A terminal…

One of the most common questions patients and families ask is also one of the most important. “What’s the difference between hospice and palliative care?” The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Both focus on improving quality of life, relieving symptoms, and supporting patients and families. The difference is…