Which statement best describes hospice care?

• A. The goal is symptom management
• B. A diagnosis of six months or less to live
• C. The desire to pursue comfort care over curative treatment
• D. Hospice care requires ongoing aggressive therapies

Answer: (A)

Hospice care centers on relieving suffering and making the end of life as comfortable as possible. The key idea here is symptom management—controlling pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and other distressing symptoms—while also providing emotional, social, and spiritual support for both the patient and family. The focus is on quality of life and comfort, not on curing the disease, and care is coordinated by an interdisciplinary team to address physical needs alongside functional and psychosocial wellbeing.

While some definitions describe hospice eligibility in terms of prognosis (for example, a six-month or less life expectancy) or the choice to pursue comfort-focused rather than curative treatment, these are practical criteria or preferences that accompany hospice care rather than its defining aim. Conversely, ongoing aggressive therapies run counter to hospice’s approach, which prioritizes comfort and symptom relief over eradicating the disease with intensive treatment.