Guest Blog by Jenta Kunkel

At The Silver Haired Choo Choo, we believe knowledge is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself—and to those you care for.

I’ve had so many questions and emotions swirling from caregivers about hospice and palliative care that I wanted to provide some information that is tried and true.

Today, I am handing my pen over to someone who is so special and dear to me. Jenta Kunkel, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, PHN (or as she prefers Nurse Practitioner sans all the alphabet soup) whose most recent focus has been Hospice as a Family Nurse Practitioner after experiencing how confusing and scary Hospice and Palliative care can be without an advocate.  She is going to tackle this tough and touchy subject and do it with knowledge and a grace and grit that I do not possess.

Jenta has dedicated several years throughout her career to the specialty of hospice care, pouring her huge heart and compassionate spirit into every patient and family she’s touched. She share with me that it is one of her favorite specialties as a Nurse Practitioner. I asked her to give us a clear, honest explanation of the difference between Palliative Care and Hospice Care—and why Hospice isn’t just for the dying. 

Grab your coffee (or a glass of wine—we won’t judge) and settle in. Jenta’s wisdom is worth every word and the time it takes to read it.  Thank you, Jenta for doing this for us. I’m so grateful and appreciative for your open and willing heart!

Let’s Dig In (Spoon Optional)

When discussing Palliative Care or Hospice Care, it can feel like you’re digging a rabbit hole with a teaspoon.Online searches make your head spin, your eyes cross, and no amount of coffee can reboot your brain. It’s overwhelming. I get it.

I’m here to give you the bullet-point version — to point you toward informed decisions, without falling into a coma.

But first, hear this: this doesn’t have to be a time of sadness.  In fact, some of my most humorous stories have come out of hospice.

• A patient who joyfully requested daily chocolate milkshakes as part of her care plan. (You better believe we brought them—even when she didn’t drink them, they made her smile!)
• A 101-year-old woman who politely suggested that if she had to stare out the window all day, she’d like “a better-looking pool guy… maybe younger… 50 or 60?”
• A gentleman who winked and said, “I should have gone on hospice years ago—I haven’t taken out the garbage once, I watch football without interruption, and if I want people to leave me alone, I just say I need rest. I like this!”

It’s okay to laugh.
It’s okay to cry. 
It’s okay to be tired, joyful, sad, and hopeful—all at once.
It’s all okay.  It’s real.  It’s life.

Ready?  Let’s dive in.

Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care: How Are They the Same?

Both focus on quality of life, not just length of life.
Both are patient and family-centered.
Both offer medical support like social workers, chaplains, physicians, nurses, volunteers, and help with medications and equipment.
Both provide emotional, spiritual, and social support.
Both encourage advance care planning and are covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid (with some fine print, of course—because it’s healthcare).
Both allow you to revoke services at any time.

Both services can be provided in:

• Hospitals
• Hospice Programs (like Enhabit, Vitas, Elizabeth Hospice, the VA)
• Long-Term Care Facilities
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Personal Homes

What Palliative Care and Hospice ARE NOT:

• They are NOT “Home Health” (which focuses on rehabilitation and recovery).
• They are NOT a way to “hasten death.”
  In fact, some hospice patients live longer than expected—and a few even improve enough to be discharged from hospice!
  It’s about comfort and dignity, not giving up.

Who Can Benefit?

• People of all ages with serious illnesses like cancer, heart failure, or lung disease.
• Families and caregivers who need emotional and practical support.

So now that we understand what hospice and palliative care are  – our next stop is going to be a deeper dive.  All aboard!