Palliative Care Services
Palliative Care for Life-Limiting Illnesses: Comprehensive Comfort and Support from Diagnosis to Treatment
Palliative Care provides compassionate relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress associated with a life-limiting or serious illness. At Sangre de Cristo Community Care, our specialized palliative care team serves patients and families throughout Southern Colorado, including Pueblo, Cañon City, La Junta, Trinidad, and surrounding communities.
We focus on improving comfort, quality of life, and emotional well-being, offering personalized support that can begin as early as the moment of diagnosis and continue alongside your treatment. Our team provides expert symptom management, guidance, and ongoing care to help you and your loved ones navigate every step of your healthcare journey.
Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care: Understanding the Difference
When navigating a serious illness, understanding the difference between palliative care and hospice care can help patients and families make informed decisions. Although both services focus on comfort and quality of life, they serve individuals at different stages of their healthcare journey.
What Is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is specialized medical support that focuses on symptom management, pain relief, emotional support, and improved quality of life for people living with a serious or chronic illness. It can be provided at any stage of the illness—from diagnosis through treatment—and may be offered alongside curative or restorative care.
Patients receiving palliative care often experience conditions such as heart disease, COPD, cancer, dementia, or other life-limiting illnesses.
In Southern Colorado, Sangre de Cristo Community Care provides personalized palliative support to patients in Pueblo, Cañon City, La Junta, Trinidad, Walsenburg, and surrounding areas.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is a specialized form of palliative care designed for individuals who are approaching the end of life, typically with a prognosis of six months or less if the illness follows its natural course. Hospice focuses on comfort, dignity, and emotional and spiritual support, rather than curative treatment.
Hospice care supports both the patient and their family, offering services such as:
Pain and symptom management
Nursing and clinical care
Emotional, social, and spiritual support
Respite services for caregivers
Bereavement support for loved ones
Sangre de Cristo Community Care is proud to serve hospice patients across Southern Colorado with compassionate care.
Key Differences Between Palliative and Hospice Care
Palliative Care
- Provided at any stage of a serious illness
- Can be combined with curative treatments
- Supports patients and families through symptom management and guidance
- Available early in diagnosis
Hospice Care
- Provided when a patient is nearing end of life
- Focuses entirely on comfort, not curative treatment
- Supports patients and families with end-of-life care and bereavement services
- Available when treatment is no longer effective or desired
Which Type of Care Is Right for You or Your Loved One?
Both palliative care and hospice care are designed to enhance comfort, dignity, and quality of life. The right choice depends on the patient’s diagnosis, goals of care, and where they are on their health journey.
If you’re unsure which service is best, our compassionate team at Sangre de Cristo Community Care is here to guide you, call us today to learn more: 719-542-0032.
Dementia Care
This program is available to Medicare beneficiaries throughout Southern Colorado, and individuals may self-refer or have their healthcare provider send a referral for an evaluation to determine eligibility, offering benefits such as a dedicated care navigator, 24/7 nurse line access, caregiver training and support, assistance connecting to community-based services, and respite care for those who qualify.
Hospice Care
Anyone can refer a patient to hospice, and early referrals greatly improve quality of life by allowing symptoms to be anticipated, managed, and prevented before they become severe. When hospice is involved sooner, patients and families receive more comprehensive support and can often avoid unnecessary hospitalizations or emergency visits.
Home Health Care
Sangre de Cristo Community Care provides award-winning home health care to families in Trinidad, Walsenburg, Cañon City, Pueblo West, and La Junta, offering skilled nursing, CNA support, physical therapy, and certified wound care through a compassionate, comprehensive team.
Palliative Care
Palliative care enhances a person’s care by focusing on symptom management for people with serious illness.