In a hospice approach, which goal is emphasized?

• A. Extending life at all costs through aggressive interventions.
• B. Providing comfort and support to the patient and family.
• C. Eliminating all symptoms through experimental therapies.
• D. Transferring all care to inpatient hospital settings.

Answer: (B)

Hospice care centers on comfort, quality of life, and support for both the patient and their family. The focus is on relief from pain and other distressing symptoms, along with addressing emotional, social, and spiritual needs to help maintain dignity and ease the caregiving burden. This approach prioritizes the patient’s comfort and the family’s well-being over pursuing aggressive life-prolonging treatments.

The option that emphasizes providing comfort and support best reflects this philosophy. The other choices describe aims that aren’t aligned with hospice—extending life at all costs with aggressive interventions, eliminating all symptoms strictly through experimental therapies, or moving all care to a hospital setting—situations that don’t capture the hospice emphasis on comfort and quality of life.