When facing a serious illness life can feel overwhelming, as medical treatments, doctor visits and test results take center stage. But for patients and their families, it’s the daily experience of living with major health challenges and maintaining quality of life that often overshadows everything. This is where palliative care enters the picture.
Often misunderstood as end-of-life care, palliative care is actually available at any age and any stage of a serious illness. It provides an extra layer of support that helps patients live better at home while managing their conditions.
To better understand palliative care, it’s helpful to clarify what it’s not. Palliative care is not hospice care, which is specifically reserved for patients who are nearing the end of life, typically with a prognosis of six months or less.
Palliative care is for people living with serious illnesses such as cancer, heart failure, COPD, neurological disorders, AIDS/HIV, or advanced liver or kidney disease. It works alongside treatments meant to cure or manage disease. Palliative care is patient and family centered to help navigate the challenges of these serious conditions while prioritizing the human experience, quality of life, and the best care possible.
Palliative care is all about empowering patients to live well and live life as fully as possible, even while managing complex health needs and receiving goal-concordant care that aligns with the patient’s wishes.
Powerful research shows that most people confuse palliative care with end-of-life care, leading to stigma and avoiding helpful treatment early in an illness. Palliative and hospice are actually very different types and levels of care. Here are some key differences between the two:
“I wouldn’t have made it without them, hands down, that’s the truth. And I’m now in remission. I made it, and Vynca’s supported me all the way.” – Vynca Patient
Palliative care is all about team support, quality of life, and living life to its fullest given one’s unique health circumstances. This specialized level of care is provided by a highly trained team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other specialists who work together with your other doctors and clinicians to provide an extra layer of support
Palliative care means living well, even while managing the challenges of serious illness. While palliative care has historically been associated with hospice care, more people are beginning to realize how palliative care is distinctly different — because it can be provided at any stage of a serious illness and works alongside treatments aimed at curing or controlling the disease.
Palliative care is about adding life to your days, not counting days. At Vynca, our patients often continue treatments for their illness while receiving palliative support to manage side effects, stress, and care coordination. For example, a patient undergoing treatment for heart failure might receive medication management to treat symptoms such as shortness of breath while also benefiting from counseling to reduce stress and anxiety. By adding palliative care into the health journey, patients get relief from suffering and gain the tools they need to focus on what matters most in their lives.
“They became my biggest advocates, helping me navigate my illness without losing sight of what matters most to me.” - Vynca Patient
Our care model is designed to address the physical, emotional, and practical challenges of serious illness. Here’s what sets us apart:
Living with illness is challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. Palliative care is about giving you the tools to live well—on your terms. At Vynca, palliative care is our focus, our mission, our passion: helping people with serious illness or complex health conditions have more quality days at home. Our team is here to walk beside you, ensuring every day is spent focusing on what matters most.
By leveraging a hybrid care model—combining in-person and virtual support—Vynca is reducing avoidable hospital admissions, improving quality of life, and keeping patients in the comfort of their homes. For more information about Vynca, ask your doctor, or to schedule a consultation, visit vyncacare.com or call 1-888-227-8884.