August’s topic is:
Hospice and Palliative Care
While both Palliative Care and Hospice Care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are part of the Standard Medical Benefits Package, they are not the same.
Palliative Care (watch video) aims to improve quality of life. It uses comfort care with a focus on relieving pain and suffering and controlling symptoms so that Veterans can carry out day-to-day activities and continue to do what is most important to them. Palliative Care can be combined with treatment that is aimed at curing or controlling illness.
Hospice Care (watch video) is comfort care provided to Veterans and their families if the Veteran has a terminal condition, with less than 6 months to live, and is no longer seeking treatment other than palliative care. In VA, Veterans can receive Palliative Care and Hospice Care at the same time.
Hospice Care can be provided at home, in an outpatient clinic, or in an inpatient setting. For Veterans interested in receiving inpatient hospice services at a Community Living Center (VA Nursing Home), check out the survey scores for hospice care, which may help you or your family when faced with the task of choosing a nursing home setting for hospice care.
VA also offers a wide range of information about Advance Care Planning:
Visit va.gov/Geriatrics to learn more or talk with a VA social worker near you.
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