Central Texas Veterans Health Care System

Hospice and Palliative Care

Central Texas Veterans Health Care System wants you to know that YOU matter to us throughout all the stages of your life and illness.

We realize that your goals of care may change as your illness changes. Everyone dies eventually. We are dedicated to honoring your wishes at the end of life. Palliative medicine is a specialty that focuses on whole person care when you have a life threatening or incurable illness. Hospice is a specialized type of palliative care intended for a person whose doctor thinks he or she only has about 6 months or less to live. Hospice care can be received in the home, a nursing home or a specialized inpatient unit. Hospice and palliative care both focus on quality of life.

Good medical care has always been about helping you live well with a chronic illness, generally for many years. However, most chronic illness eventually becomes progressive and treatments are less effective. When this happens, it is not unusual for you and your family to have complex care needs. This is when the special attention and medical expertise of palliative care can be most helpful for you and your family.

Some examples of common chronic illnesses that progress over time and may benefit from palliative care:

• Congestive heart failure and heart diseases
• Chronic kidney disease Chronic lung diseases, such as emphysema
• Many types of cancer 
• Stroke and cerebrovascular diseases 
• Cirrhosis of the liver 

• Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

Palliative Care at the VA

Palliative care places you at the center of the medical team. We take our direction from you when planning medical care. We help you and your family choose care that is consistent with your goals of care and respects your culture and spirituality. We assist in communication and help to assure that you and your family receive simple explanations for what is happening as your illness progresses. We help plan for future care needs, including helping you access outpatient hospice benefits or special inpatient hospice units available in either Waco or Temple. Our goal is to respect your treatment choices and help you and your family choose care that is best for you while facilitating communication with all your healthcare providers.

What is the difference between Hospice and Palliative Care?

• Both provide expert palliative care.
• Hospice care is provided when there is a life expectancy of 6 months or less.
• Hospice in the community is paid for and provided by special Hospice Community Partners.
• These Hospice Community Partners work with you and your family in the comfort of your home. (To learn more about special work many Hospice Community Partners do for Veterans in their homes, see www.wehonorveterans.org)**
• Palliative care is provided when the Veteran is still seeking treatment.
• Palliative care offers control of a progressing illness when there is general agreement of a life expectancy of greater than 6 months.
• Hospice care has no co-pays and is provided without charge for ALL Veterans through the VA Medical Benefits package.
• Palliative care (unlike hospice) carries a co-pay just as any other medical service provided by the VA would.
• Even if you have never been enrolled in the VA, as a Veteran you have the option of receiving hospice care without cost by virtue of your service to our country.

• Contact a facility Palliative Care Coordinator for questions about expedited enrollment.

Who to contact for more information or assistance:

**Link will take you outside of the Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA)Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. The link will open in a new window.