Which statement accurately contrasts hospice and palliative care?

• A. Hospice is only for children; palliative is for adults
• B. Palliative care is only provided in hospitals; hospice is home-based
• C. Hospice focuses on comfort at end of life; palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness
• D. Palliative care requires curative treatment; hospice does not

Answer: (C)

Palliative care is a flexible, patient-centered approach that aims to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life at any stage of a serious illness, and it can be started at diagnosis and continue alongside disease-directed treatments. Hospice care, on the other hand, is a form of palliative care reserved for the end of life, with a primary focus on comfort and quality of life when curative or life-prolonging treatments are no longer pursued and prognosis is limited.

That contrast makes the statement correct: hospice centers on comfort at the end of life, while palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness. The other options aren’t accurate because hospice is not limited to children, palliative care is not confined to hospital settings, and palliative care does not require abandoning curative treatment.