Hospice care is best described as

• A. A type of care that concentrates on curative treatment to restore health.
• B. A service focused on comfort and quality of life for those with a terminal illness.
• C. A service that provides support for terminally ill individuals and their families, without enabling curative treatment.
• D. A hospital-based program that replaces all other therapies.

Answer: (C)

Hospice care centers on comfort, symptom relief, and quality of life for someone with a terminal illness, while also providing support to the family. The aim is not to cure the disease, but to help the person live as well as possible in their remaining time. Care can be delivered at home or in a hospice setting and is coordinated with other medical care, but it does not pursue aggressive curative treatments. The description that specifically notes both patient and family support and the choice to forego curative efforts best captures how hospice is practiced.