Palliative Care* is also known as "comfort care"; this is care that addresses pain management and the relief of symptoms and focuses on a patient's quality of life.

Pain and symptom management is the heart of the hospice philosophy. The goal of all hospice care is to provide patients and their families relief from physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns. For the patient, this can mean dealing with the symptoms that often occur during a terminal illness, such as pain, nausea and vomiting, bowel problems, shortness of breath, swelling of limbs, loss of physical control, unconsciousness, bed sores, loss of appetite, weight loss, or confusion. The hospice team recognizes that each patient is an individual, with different symptoms and different needs. Hospice is responsible for helping the patient and the family achieve the goals of treatment.

* Definition of Palliative Care, as adopted by MHPCO Board:
(This is the World Health Organization definition, with additions by MHPCO in italics) "Palliative Care, an approach originally defined and actively practiced by hospice, is the active total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. Control of pain, of other symptoms, and of psychological, social, and spiritual problems is paramount. The goal of palliative care is the achievement of the best possible quality of life for patients and their families."

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