National Hospice & Palliative Care Month

For National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, please join us in raising awareness about these important services. The focus of both palliative care and hospice is quality of life. Palliative care is a specialized type of medical care that can address or prevent physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering regardless of age or disease stage — it can be provided right alongside potentially curative treatments. Hospice care is a type of palliative care specifically for patients who are approaching the end of life.

Raising awareness about palliative care and hospice is critical. A 2019 study found that 71% of Americans have never heard about palliative care or have little to no knowledge about this care. According to a 2020 report from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, New York ranks second to last in hospice utilization, with only 30% of Medicare recipients enrolled in hospice at the time of their death. The same report also notes that when patients do receive hospice care, they are often admitted so late that 40% receive care for less than two weeks. Behind these statistics are patients and their loved ones who are experiencing needless suffering.

To learn more about palliative care and hospice (as well as advance care planning and other important topics), we encourage you to read and share our guide to end-of-life planning, options, and rights.

If you or someone you know would like to locate a nearby hospice or palliative care program, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's "Find a Care Provider" page enables you to search for these programs by zip code. If you need additional information or support to navigate these services please contact our Clinical Director, Judith Schwarz, PhD at judith@eolcny.org or 212-252-2015.