How is palliative care related to hospice care?

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Palliative care centers on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for people with serious illness, and it can be started at any stage, even alongside disease-directed treatments. It evolved from the hospice movement but is not limited to end-of-life care; it is accessible early and throughout the course of illness. Hospice is a related, more specific pathway focused on comfort for those with a prognosis of months to live, typically nearing the end of life. Because of its broader scope and ability to begin earlier, palliative care is best described as evolving from hospice and concentrating on symptom management and quality of life at any stage. This approach also naturally involves family and caregivers as part of comprehensive care.