Who Is Palliative Care For?
- You or a family member is living with a serious illness such as cancer, heart failure, COPD, kidney disease, or dementia.
- Treatment is still underway and you want additional support managing pain, fatigue, or difficult symptoms.
- You need help with decision making, care coordination, or conversations about what comes next.
- You want emotional or spiritual support alongside medical care.
- A physician has recommended palliative care as part of your care plan.
What Palliative Care Involves
Your Care Team
A palliative care team typically includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and chaplains. They work together to address the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of serious illness.
This means you have a dedicated team focused on your comfort and quality of life, not just your diagnosis.
Services Provided
Palliative care covers pain and symptom management, help with medical decision-making, advance care planning guidance, and coordination with the rest of your care team.
The goal is to reduce suffering and help you stay informed and in control of your care at every stage.
Where It Is Provided
Palliative care is available in hospitals, outpatient clinics, long term care facilities, and at home. The setting depends on the patient's needs and stage of illness.
Wherever you receive care, the focus stays on managing symptoms and supporting your daily quality of life.
Coverage and Payment
Palliative care services may be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, though coverage varies depending on the specific services and setting.
Your care team or insurance provider can help clarify what is covered so cost does not delay the support you need.
How Is Palliative Care Different from Hospice?
Hospice is one form of palliative care, specifically for patients with a terminal prognosis of six months or less who have chosen to focus on comfort rather than curative treatment.
Palliative care has no such requirement. You can receive it while still pursuing a cure, at any age, and at any stage of illness.
| Palliative Care | Hospice | |
|---|---|---|
| Prognosis Required | No | Yes — 6 months or less |
| Curative Treatment Allowed | Yes — works alongside it | No — comfort focused only |
| Stage of Illness | Any stage | End of life only |
| Coverage | Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance (varies) | Medicare Part A, Medicaid, most private plans |
Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning
Palliative care teams regularly help patients and families work through advance care planning documenting care preferences, naming a healthcare proxy, and ensuring wishes are known before a crisis.
We offer resources on advance care planning for individuals, families, and medical professionals across Alabama.
Hospice and Palliative Care Reference Guide
Download AHPCO’s one page reference guide on the differences between hospice and palliative care. A resource for patients, families, and care teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Palliative care works alongside curative or disease modifying treatment. It is not limited to end of life care. Patients can begin palliative care at any stage of a serious illness, including at diagnosis.
Palliative care is designed to manage pain and symptoms to improve the quality of life. Palliative care can be used along with curative and aggressive treatment or can be used for any serious chronic illness.
Hospice is a specific type of palliative care and is for those with life limiting illness and a prognosis of 6 months. Hospice provides comfort when cure is no longer an option.
Palliative Care is a growing field in Alabama. Several hospitals and hospice providers currently offer palliative care; however, resources and funding often limit availability. Check with your physician regarding palliative care in your area.
Palliative care is a new and growing area of medicine in Alabama. Medicare and private insurance may pay for palliative care. It is important to talk with your physician for a referral for palliative care.
