Which term describes care focused on comfort rather than cure for people with serious illness?

• A. Hospice care
• B. Palliative care
• C. Restorative care
• D. Acute care

Answer: (B)

Care focused on comfort rather than cure for people with serious illness centers on relieving symptoms, reducing pain, and improving quality of life for both patient and family. This approach, known as palliative care, can be provided alongside disease-directed treatments and is not limited to a specific stage of illness. Hospice care is a form of palliative care used when curative treatment is no longer pursued and life expectancy is limited, which is why it’s more specific than the broader palliative approach. Restorative care aims to regain lost function after illness or injury, and acute care involves urgent, hospital-based treatment for sudden or severe conditions. So, the term that best describes comfort-focused care is palliative care.