Is Palliative Care Right For Your Loved One?
Palliative care is for the living, not the dying. Palliative care begins at diagnosis and continues through treatment, whereas hospice care begins after treatment for a disease has stopped and no further treatment is prescribed. Hospice care includes palliative care but is generally reserved for terminally ill patients whose illness is no longer curable. Palliative care can be part of a patient's long-term medical management plan while receiving active treatment.
Palliative care is administered by a network of specially trained physicians, nurses and specialists who work together for each patient’s best interest. In addition to communicating with each other, these providers maintain close contact with patients to ensure they understand their treatment options and that their needs are met. Palliative care monitors medications, disease progression and addresses emotional, social and spiritual problems that arise with having a life-limiting illness. Serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and dementia can affect more than just a patient’s body - they can affect mental and emotional wellbeing. Improving quality of life during a life-limiting illness is about managing the mental, emotional, social and practical problems that arise because of a disease or illness, in addition to managing the condition itself.
Palliative care not only ensures effective treatment, but improved quality of life. Living with a life-limiting illness can bring about extreme stress and often trigger feelings of fear, anxiety, depression and hopelessness. Palliative care addresses problems that may arise with a life-threatening illness through counseling, support groups, family meetings and referrals to mental health specialists. Treatments typically include a combination of medication, nutritional guidance and physical or occupational therapy.