Examples of incorrect descriptions of palliative care and hospice care
| Theme | Palliative care (examples) | Hospice care (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal/hospital care | “When you are beyond medical care and not responsive.” “Where you go to die.” “When you are upstairs in the hospital on death's bed.” “When someone is very ill with no chance to survive.” | “Means going into hospital.” |
| Nursing home/care of the elderly | “Unable to care for yourself and people stick you in a care facility.” “Nursing home, too old to look after yourself.” “Going to an old folks home to get help with daily living.” “Looking after old people.” “When you cannot do anything for yourself and family can't take care of you so you need to be somewhere else.” “Means I get ancient and have to be looked after.” | “It has to do with the age of the person, very old.” “Place to go when there is nobody to take care of the patient.” “Where they stick you when they no longer want you around.” “Not quite dead; in a nursing home.” “Maintenance type of care.” |
| Home care for basic activities of daily living | “What they do for me at home like help me with my meals.” “When you need help with dressing, bathing or meals.” “Help with housework.” | “Someone comes in and helps with minor things like when you cannot wash self in tub because cannot use one hand.” “Looking after your basic needs.” |
| Aggressive/curative care | Being fed by tubes.” “If a person is in critical condition and needs to be monitored.” “Keeping people alive longer than they are supposed to.” | “Care provided to individual with chronic illness.” “Keep body going as long as possible.” “In a hospital on machines doing everything to keep you alive.” “Recovery and healing.” |
| Other | “When you cannot make decisions.” “They take care of feet every two weeks.” “Dialysis unit”. “When you are on dialysis.” “To take care of your belongings.” | “Place where they look after patients with mental difficulties.” “When somebody needs temporary lodging—if they have nowhere else to go.” “To give a family member a break from taking care of you.” “Care that family provides to you.” |
| Last days of life but no concept of ‘care’ | “Patients are too far gone and not supposed to be in hospital.” |