When a loved one’s health begins to decline, families are often faced with difficult care decisions. It’s normal during this process to wonder, “Is palliative care a nursing home?” or to search online for the differences between palliative care and nursing home care.
While both palliative care and nursing homes provide essential support for people living with serious or chronic illnesses, they serve very different purposes. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at palliative care vs. nursing home care and how Carolina Caring can help you determine which option best meets your family’s needs.
The Key Difference: A Service vs. A Place
When families begin comparing palliative care vs. nursing home care, one of the most important distinctions to understand is that palliative care is a service, while a nursing home is a place.
Nursing Home
A nursing home is a residential facility where individuals live full-time and receive around-the-clock personal assistance and medical supervision. These facilities are designed for people who can no longer live safely at home due to advanced illness, mobility challenges, or cognitive decline.
Residents receive help with:
- Daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating
- Medication administration and medical monitoring
- Access to meals, housekeeping, and 24/7 supervision
Palliative Care
Palliative care, on the other hand, is a specialized medical service focused on relieving symptoms, easing discomfort, and improving quality of life.
In many cases, palliative care functions as a form of home care, bringing medical support directly to where patients live. This care is provided by an interdisciplinary team that may include physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains who work alongside your loved one’s existing providers.
Palliative care can be provided almost anywhere, including:
- At home, for those who wish to remain in a familiar environment
- In hospitals or outpatient clinics
- In assisted living or nursing home settings, to supplement existing care
Knowing the difference between palliative care and nursing home care allows you and your loved one to make thoughtful, compassionate decisions about what type of care best supports their quality of life.
| Comparing Palliative Care vs. Nursing Home Care | ||
| Palliative Care | Nursing Home | |
| Overview | A type of specialized medical care focused on comfort and quality of life | A place to live and receive around-the-clock personal and medical care |
| Where Provided | In multiple locations—at home, in hospitals, clinics, assisted living, or nursing homes | In the facility where residents live full-time |
| Focus | Relief from pain, symptoms, and stress caused by serious illness | 24/7 personal assistance, safety, and medical oversight |
| Duration | Ongoing as needed, at any stage of illness | Often long-term or permanent residence |
| Who Provides Care | A palliative care team working alongside the patient’s existing providers | Facility staff such as nurses, aides, and therapists |
When a Nursing Home May Be Needed
Even with strong support at home, there may come a point when a loved one’s needs exceed what family caregivers or outpatient services can provide. That’s when nursing home care may be the right next step.
Nursing homes offer a safe, structured environment for people who require 24-hour supervision, medical oversight, or daily personal assistance. These facilities are designed to provide peace of mind for both residents and their families.
Your loved one may benefit from nursing home care if they:
- Need round-the-clock help with meals, mobility, or personal care
- Have ongoing safety concerns at home, such as frequent falls or confusion
- Require constant medical monitoring or skilled nursing for complex conditions
- Live with advanced dementia and would benefit from a secure environment
- Experience frequent hospitalizations or emergency visits
- Show unintentional weight loss due to difficulty eating or managing meals
It isn’t always an either/or choice between palliative care vs. nursing home care. Many people receive palliative care within a nursing home, combining the facility’s daily support with the palliative team’s expertise in managing pain and symptoms and coordinating treatment.
How Palliative Care Can Support You at Home
One of the most common questions families ask is, “Could palliative care help us avoid a nursing home?” The answer often depends on your loved one’s unique circumstances. For many, though, palliative care can make it possible to stay at home safely and comfortably for longer.
What Palliative Care Provides
Unlike a nursing home, where care happens in a residential setting, palliative care brings medical expertise directly to you. It’s a personalized service designed to ease the burden of illness, support family caregivers, and help people live fully wherever they call home.
Palliative care may include:
- Expert symptom management for pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or nausea
- Medication management to mitigate side effects and complications
- Specialized support, including comprehensive cardiac care (for heart disease) and lung care programs
- Coordination among doctors and specialists
- Education and support for family caregivers
- Regular home visits from specialized providers
When It Can Help Someone Stay Home Longer
Palliative care is especially valuable when a loved one is managing complex medication regimens, living with uncontrolled symptoms, or seeing multiple specialists. Palliative care also helps when family caregivers experience burnout and need extra tools, training, or relief.
By filling these gaps, palliative care often delays the need for a facility. In some cases, it can prevent a move altogether, allowing your loved one to remain at home while receiving high-quality care.
Palliative Care in a Nursing Home
A common misconception when comparing palliative care vs. nursing home care is that you have to choose one or the other. In reality, palliative care can be provided in a nursing home.
In this model:
- Your loved one lives in the nursing home facility, where staff provide daily care, meals, and personal assistance.
- A palliative care team visits regularly to manage symptoms, coordinate care, and offer emotional support.
- Together, both teams create a comprehensive plan that promotes comfort, stability, and quality of life.
Who Benefits from This Combination
Palliative care in a nursing home setting can make a meaningful difference for residents facing complex medical challenges. It’s especially beneficial for:
- Residents living with chronic pain or discomfort that’s difficult to manage through standard nursing care.
- Individuals with serious or advanced illnesses such as COPD, cancer, heart disease, or dementia, who require more specialized symptom management.
- Residents whose symptoms aren’t well-controlled, leading to repeated hospitalizations.
- Families seeking extra support when navigating complex medical choices or emotionally difficult transitions.
What the Palliative Team Adds
In a nursing home setting, palliative care provides an extra layer of medical and emotional support for residents with serious or complex conditions. While the nursing home team focuses on daily care and safety, the palliative care team can provide:
- Advanced symptom management to ease pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, or nausea
- An additional layer of medical oversight to help adjust treatment plans as needed
- Family counseling and emotional support to reduce stress
- Guidance with difficult decisions, including treatment goals or transitions in care
- Spiritual care and comfort to nurture peace, dignity, and meaning
By working together, nursing home staff and the palliative care team provide residents with truly comprehensive care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get palliative care without going to a nursing home?
Yes. Palliative care isn’t limited to a specific location. Many people receive palliative care in their own homes, but it can also be provided in hospitals, outpatient clinics, assisted living communities, and nursing homes.
If someone is in a nursing home, can they still receive palliative care?
Absolutely. Palliative care can be provided within a nursing home setting to complement the care offered by facility staff.
Does palliative care mean giving up on treatment?
No. Palliative care is about improving comfort and quality of life at any stage of illness, not just at the end of life. You can receive palliative care while continuing curative or rehabilitative treatments such as chemotherapy, dialysis, or physical therapy.
How is palliative care different from hospice?
The key differences between hospice and palliative care come down to timing and treatment goals. Palliative care can begin at any stage of a serious illness and may be provided alongside curative treatments. Hospice care, however, is intended for people nearing the end of life who are no longer seeking curative treatment.
Finding the Right Support in North Carolina
Determining what kind of care is best for your loved one can be challenging. Every situation is different, and what works for one family may not be right for another. Understanding the difference between palliative care and nursing home care is an important first step.
At Carolina Caring, we provide palliative care in multiple settings, including at home and in hospitals, assisted living communities, and nursing homes. Our compassionate team can assess your loved one’s needs and determine what combination of services makes the most sense for their situation. Whether you’re exploring ways for your loved one to stay at home longer or seeking extra support within a care facility, we’ll meet you where you are.
If you’re still unsure about the difference between palliative care and nursing home care, our team is here to help. Contact Carolina Caring to start the conversation.
