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Q: My friend has bad kidneys and has to start dialysis. She said she also wants to get palliative care, but I told her that’s only for people who are dying! She doesn’t believe me; can you explain it to her?

A: It sounds like you are mistaking palliative care with hospice care, and you aren’t alone. Palliative care and hospice, or end-of-life, care are commonly thought to be the same.

It is true that palliative care and hospice are both considered comfort care. Both services can provide symptom relief and reduce stress.

However, there are a few key differences between them. Hospice is designed for people who have six months or less to live. It’s important to note that a person receiving hospice services is no longer receiving treatment for their disease.

Palliative care services, on the other hand, can be used at any stage of disease from diagnosis to cure. And palliative care does not replace treatment. Instead, it is offered together with medical treatments, such as dialysis in your friend’s case.

When your friend starts to receive palliative care, she will have a team of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other specialists working with her. The palliative care team will also work with her other providers. They will make sure she receives the best possible care so that she can have the best quality of life.

The palliative care team will work to help her better understand her disease and treatment options. They will offer emotional support for the stress she may be experiencing due to her disease. And they will discuss her goals for treatment and her desires regarding her quality of life.

In addition to these services, the palliative care team will also work with your friend to provide relief of symptoms such as:

Pain or discomfort
Anxiety
Depression
Sleep problems
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Nausea
Constipation
Lack of appetite

Palliative care is a great option for anyone living with a serious illness who is also dealing with pain, stress and other symptoms that are a result of that disease.

Most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, will cover it. People with any of the following health conditions could benefit from palliative care:

Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
Cancer
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Congestive heart failure
HIV/AIDS
Kidney or liver disease
Parkinson’s disease
Stroke, and more

Palliative care may not always be suggested by a person’s primary care provider. If your friend is thinking about palliative care, she should let her doctor know. Her doctor can give her a referral, or she can visit www.getpalliativecare.org for a directory of providers.

Jessica Roller, R.N., is a fourth-year Pharm.D. student at VCU School of Pharmacy. She earned an associate of applied science in nursing from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and a bachelor of science in biochemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University.