1. Hospice and Palliative Care Brief Overview
January 10th 2017
Peggy Budai, MS, RN, CNS, NP-C
Geriatric and Palliative Care - UCHealth

2. Hospice and Palliative Care
Hospice and Palliative Care both focus on helping a person and family facing serious illness be comfortable by addressing issues causing physical or emotional pain or suffering.
Hospice and palliative care providers have teams of professionals working together to provide care.
The goals are to improve the quality of a seriously ill person’s life and to support that person and their family.

3. Primary Differences
Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and can be provided together with curative treatment.
Hospice care is appropriate if there is a limited life expectancy of 6 months or less and the focus of care shifts from curative to focus on comfort.

5. Hospice Care Overview
Paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, 3rd Party insurance, HMO’s, etc.
Care for patients at home, hospital or long- term care facilities
Most pay at 100% with no patient co-pays

6. Hospice Philosophy Treats the whole person-Body, Mind and Soul
Switches focus of care from curative to comfort
Considers the family as the unit of care
Uses an Interdisciplinary Team model of care
Aggressively manage symptoms – pain, nausea etc
Hospice affirms life - neither hastening nor postponing death
Hospice is about living life to the fullest with dignity and comfort

7. Hospice Care Provides
Staff – Nurses, Social Workers, Chaplains, Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Aides, Music Therapy, Volunteers
Medications
Treatments
Medical Equipment
Respite care
Bereavement

8. Aging and How we Die First Steps Second Steps Final Steps Age in Years
Final Steps
Age in Years

9. Advance Care Planning Steps
First Steps - all healthy adults 18 years or older
Medical Durable Power of Attorney
Goals of Care for unexpected brain injury
Conversations with family

10. Advance Care Planning Steps
Second Steps - all adults with chronic/serious illness
Durable Medical Power of Attorney
Living Will
More Conversation with family and friends about goals of care
Consider completing a MOST form or a CPR Directive

11. Advance Care Planning Steps
Final Steps – all adults who we would not be surprised if they died in the next 12 months
Durable Medical Power of Attorney
Living Will
More Conversation with family and friends about goals of care
Complete a MOST form or a CPR Directive