Expert Palliative Care for Improved Quality of Life

Personalized care focused on relieving symptoms, improving comfort, and enhancing quality of life for individuals living with serious illness. Our team partners with your physicians to help manage pain and other symptoms while offering compassionate guidance and support throughout your care journey.

What Is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on relieving pain, managing symptoms, and improving quality of life for people living with a serious illness. Unlike hospice care, palliative care can begin at any stage of an illness and may be provided alongside treatments intended to cure or manage the condition. The goal is to help patients feel as comfortable as possible while supporting their physical, emotional, and overall well-being.

Palliative care does more than treat an illness—it treats the person. A dedicated team works alongside your physicians to help manage symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, and other challenges that can affect daily life. By coordinating care, answering questions, and helping patients better understand their treatment options, palliative care empowers individuals and families to make informed decisions with confidence.

One of the biggest misconceptions about palliative care is that it is only for people at the end of life. In reality, palliative care is appropriate for anyone living with a serious illness who could benefit from additional support and symptom management. Whether someone is receiving treatment for cancer, heart disease, COPD, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, or another chronic condition, palliative care can help improve comfort, enhance quality of life, and provide compassionate support throughout their care journey.

Who Can Benefit from Palliative Care?

Palliative care can benefit people living with many serious or chronic illnesses. Below are some of the serious illnesses and conditions our team commonly supports through expert symptom management, personalized care, and compassionate guidance designed to improve quality of life.

Heart Disease

Support for symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and discomfort to help improve comfort and daily quality of life.

Cancer

Relief from pain, nausea, fatigue, and treatment-related symptoms while supporting patients throughout their cancer care.

COPD & Lung Disease

Care focused on easing breathing difficulties, reducing discomfort, and helping patients remain as active and comfortable as possible.

Parkinson’s & Neurological Disorders

Symptom management to address pain, mobility challenges, fatigue, and changes that affect everyday living.

Kidney Disease

Support for managing symptoms and improving comfort while working alongside your existing treatment plan and healthcare team.

Other Serious Conditions

Palliative care can benefit individuals living with many complex conditions by relieving symptoms and enhancing quality of life.

You don’t have to navigate a serious illness alone. If you have questions about palliative care or would like to learn whether it’s right for you or a loved one, our compassionate team is here to help—without pressure or obligation.

How Palliative Care Can Help

Palliative care is designed to improve comfort, relieve symptoms, and enhance quality of life for people living with serious illness. Every patient’s needs are unique, which is why care is personalized and provided alongside your existing physicians and treatment plan. Our compassionate team works alongside your physicians to address the physical, emotional, and practical challenges that can arise throughout your care journey.

Personalized Support for Patients and Families

Living with a serious illness can affect every aspect of daily life—not just physical health. Palliative care provides an extra layer of support by helping manage symptoms, coordinating care, answering questions, and empowering patients and families to make informed decisions. Our goal is to help you live as comfortably and confidently as possible while continuing the care that is right for you.

  • Pain & Symptom Management: Helping relieve pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, and other symptoms that can affect comfort and quality of life.
  • Care Coordination: Working alongside your physicians and specialists to improve communication, coordinate care, and ensure your treatment aligns with your goals.
  • Emotional Support: Providing compassionate guidance and emotional support to help patients and families cope with the challenges of serious illness.
  • Medication Management: Reviewing medications, helping manage side effects, and supporting treatments that improve comfort while reducing unnecessary complications.
  • Advance Care Planning: Helping patients understand their options, communicate their wishes, and make informed healthcare decisions with confidence.
  • Support for Patients & Families: Offering education, resources, and ongoing support so patients and their loved ones feel informed, prepared, and supported every step of the way.
Palliative care nurse discussing symptom management and treatment options with an older couple in their home.

We’re Here to Help

Whether you’re exploring palliative care for yourself or someone you love, our compassionate team is here to answer your questions, explain your options, and help you determine the best path forward.

Compassionate Care Centered Around You

Living with a serious illness can bring uncertainty, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. At Eternal Faith Hospice, we believe every patient deserves compassionate care that honors their goals, respects their choices, and helps them experience the highest possible quality of life.

Whether you’re exploring palliative care for yourself or someone you love, we’re here to provide guidance, comfort, and support every step of the way.

Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care

Palliative care and hospice care both focus on improving comfort, relieving symptoms, and supporting patients and families. While they share many similarities, they are designed for different stages of a serious illness. Understanding these differences can help you make informed decisions about the care that’s right for you or your loved one.

Palliative Care
Hospice Care

Available at any stage of a serious illness

Designed for people with a life-limiting illness who have chosen to focus on comfort and quality of life rather than curative treatment.

Can be provided while receiving curative or life-prolonging treatments

Focuses on comfort and quality of life rather than curative treatment

Works alongside your existing physicians and specialists

Care is coordinated by an interdisciplinary hospice team

Focuses on relieving pain, symptoms, and stress

Focuses on comfort, dignity, and quality of life during the final stage of illness

May continue for months or years depending on a patient’s needs

Hospice eligibility is determined by a physician based on Medicare guidelines and a patient’s overall condition.

Both palliative care and hospice provide compassionate, patient-centered care with the goal of improving quality of life. If you’re unsure which type of care is right for your situation, our team is here to answer your questions and help you understand your options with compassion and clarity.

Want to learn more? Explore our comprehensive guide comparing hospice care and palliative care, including eligibility, treatment options, Medicare coverage, and how to determine which type of care may be right for you or your loved one. Explore Hospice Care vs. Palliative Care ›


Frequently Asked Questions About Palliative Care

Palliative care can be unfamiliar to many patients and families, and it’s natural to have questions about how it works, who qualifies, and when it may be appropriate. Understanding your options is an important part of making informed healthcare decisions, and we’re here to help make the process as clear and comfortable as possible.

Below are answers to some of the most common questions about palliative care. If you don’t see the information you’re looking for, our compassionate team is always available to answer your questions, provide guidance, and help you determine whether palliative care is the right choice for you or your loved one.

Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on relieving pain, managing symptoms, and improving quality of life for people living with a serious illness. It can be provided at any stage of an illness and is designed to work alongside your existing treatment plan. Unlike hospice care, you do not have to stop curative or life-prolonging treatments to receive palliative care. The goal is to help patients feel more comfortable, better understand their healthcare options, and receive compassionate support that addresses their physical, emotional, and practical needs.

Although palliative care and hospice both focus on comfort and quality of life, they serve patients at different stages of illness. Palliative care can begin as soon as someone is diagnosed with a serious illness and may be provided while they continue receiving treatments such as chemotherapy, dialysis, or other therapies. Hospice care is generally appropriate when a patient has a life-limiting illness and has chosen to focus on comfort rather than curative treatment. Both types of care provide compassionate support for patients and families, but the timing and goals of care are different.

Palliative care may benefit anyone living with a serious or chronic illness that causes symptoms affecting daily life. This includes people with cancer, heart disease, COPD, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, ALS, and many other conditions. Even if a person is continuing treatment with specialists or their primary physician, palliative care can help manage symptoms, reduce discomfort, and improve overall quality of life. Every patient’s situation is unique, so eligibility depends on individual needs rather than a specific diagnosis alone.

Yes. One of the biggest advantages of palliative care is that it works alongside your existing healthcare team. Your primary care physician and specialists continue directing your medical treatment while the palliative care team focuses on symptom management, comfort, communication, and additional support. By working together, everyone involved in your care shares the same goal of helping you achieve the best possible quality of life.

Absolutely. Receiving palliative care does not mean you have to stop treatment for your illness. Many patients receive palliative care while continuing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dialysis, surgeries, or other medical treatments. Palliative care is designed to complement your treatment plan by helping manage pain, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, anxiety, and other symptoms that may occur during treatment.

Palliative care focuses on improving comfort and supporting the whole person. Services may include pain and symptom management, medication review, care coordination, emotional support, advance care planning, patient and family education, and assistance communicating with healthcare providers. The exact services provided depend on each patient’s medical condition, goals, and individual needs.

Many palliative care services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance plans, although coverage can vary depending on your specific benefits and the services being provided. Our team can help explain your options, answer questions about coverage, and work with you to better understand any available benefits before care begins.

Palliative care may be provided in a variety of settings depending on a patient’s needs and the services available in their area. Care can often be provided in the comfort of your home, as well as in hospitals, outpatient clinics, assisted living communities, or skilled nursing facilities. Our team will work with you to determine the most appropriate setting based on your individual situation.

Many people believe they should wait until symptoms become severe before seeking palliative care, but earlier support often provides the greatest benefit. If a serious illness is causing pain, fatigue, breathing difficulties, nausea, stress, or making everyday life more challenging, it may be the right time to explore palliative care. Beginning care early can help improve comfort, strengthen communication with your healthcare team, and enhance overall quality of life.

Absolutely not. One of the biggest misconceptions about palliative care is that it means giving up on treatment or hope. In reality, palliative care is about improving comfort and quality of life while helping patients continue receiving the medical care that is right for them. Many people receive palliative care while undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dialysis, or other therapies. The goal is to help you feel better, manage symptoms more effectively, and provide additional support so you can continue focusing on what matters most.

Yes. Palliative care is designed to meet your changing needs, and your care plan can be adjusted as your condition changes. If your symptoms improve or your goals of care change, palliative care services may be modified or discontinued. Likewise, if your illness progresses, your care team can help you understand all of your options, including whether hospice care may be appropriate in the future. Every decision is made together with you, your family, and your healthcare providers.

Getting started begins with a conversation. Our compassionate team will take the time to learn about your medical condition, current treatments, symptoms, and personal goals. We’ll answer your questions, explain how palliative care works, and help determine whether it’s the right fit for your needs. Every patient’s journey is unique, and we’re here to provide guidance, support, and compassionate care every step of the way.

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Have Questions About Palliative Care?

Whether you’re exploring palliative care for yourself or someone you love, our compassionate team is here to answer your questions, explain your options, and help you understand the care available. There’s no pressure and no obligation—just honest guidance and caring support whenever you’re ready.