This resolution designates November 2025 as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month to recognize the vital role of these services in improving the quality of life for individuals with serious illnesses.
Jacky Rosen
Senator
NV
This resolution designates November 2025 as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month to recognize the critical role these services play in improving the quality of life for individuals with serious illnesses and their families. It highlights the comprehensive, interdisciplinary care provided, which focuses on symptom management, emotional support, and caregiver assistance. The resolution encourages increased public awareness of hospice and palliative care options and honors the dedication of the professionals and volunteers who provide this essential support.
November 2025 Designated as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
This resolution officially designates November 2025 as “National Hospice and Palliative Care Month.” While this is a non-binding resolution—meaning it doesn't change any laws or appropriate any new funding—it serves a crucial purpose: boosting public awareness about essential end-of-life and serious illness care options.
The Real-World Goal: Making Care Visible
At its core, this resolution is about recognition and education. It emphasizes that palliative care and hospice services are critical parts of the healthcare continuum, helping individuals with serious illnesses or injuries to “live as fully as possible.” The resolution highlights that this care is delivered by an interdisciplinary team—doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, and volunteers—who focus on quality of life through pain management, symptom control, and emotional support.
For most people, the practical impact is the encouragement to learn about these options before a crisis hits. The resolution specifically encourages the public to increase their understanding of the benefits of integrating palliative care early into treatment plans. Palliative care isn’t just for the very end; it can run alongside curative treatments, helping manage symptoms like fatigue or nausea so patients can maintain a better quality of life while undergoing chemotherapy, for example.
Who Benefits from the Spotlight?
This resolution shines a light on several groups. First, it recognizes the over 1.7 million patients and families who relied on hospice providers in 2023. By designating a month, the resolution aims to normalize conversations around serious illness and end-of-life planning, encouraging patients to learn about their care options and share their preferences with family. This is huge, because having these difficult conversations early can significantly reduce stress and conflict later on.
Second, the resolution serves as a much-needed nod to the “tens of thousands of palliative care and hospice staff and volunteers” who carry out this demanding work. The resolution acknowledges that this care relies on vital volunteer support and requires increased training opportunities for healthcare professionals in team-based care. Finally, it recognizes the millions of family caregivers who often bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of grief and bereavement support for them both during and after the patient’s care.