What is hospice care primarily used for?

Hospice care is primarily utilized for terminal conditions. This type of care focuses on providing comfort and support to individuals who are nearing the end of their lives, typically when a prognosis indicates that the individual has six months or less to live. The main goals of hospice care are to manage pain and other distressing symptoms, enhance the quality of life, and provide emotional and spiritual support not only to the patient but also to their families.

Unlike other types of medical care that aim to cure or treat an illness, hospice care acknowledges that curative treatment is no longer effective or desired, thus emphasizing palliative care. This approach allows individuals to spend their remaining time in comfort and dignity, often in a familiar environment, such as their own home, while receiving compassionate care from a multidisciplinary team of health professionals.