(NPR) – Many assumed the decision meant that Carter wouldn’t be alive for much longer. But contrary to popular belief, hospice care isn’t necessarily only for people who have just a few days to live, nor does it mean giving up care entirely.

In fact, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, hospice care may increase life expectancy, and research has supported that idea. While hospice care doesn’t treat an illness, it manages pain and other symptoms, focusing on the comfort, dignity and quality of life of the person who’s dying. (Read More)