“Seeing the person beyond the disease”
Palliative care is a resource for anyone living with a serious illness, such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and many others. Palliative care can be helpful at any stage of illness and is best provided from the point of diagnosis.
In addition to improving quality of life and helping with symptoms, palliative care can help patients understand their choices for medical treatment. The organized services available through palliative care may be helpful to any older person having a lot of general discomfort and disability very late in life. Palliative care can be provided along with curative treatment and does not depend on prognosis.
What does the palliative care team do?
Palliative care specialists improve quality of life for the patients whose needs are most complex. Working in partnership with the primary physician, the palliative care team provides:
- Relief of your symptoms and distress
- Help to better understand your disease and diagnosis
- Help to clarify your treatment goals and options
- Understanding and support of your ability to cope with your illness
- Assistance with making medical decision
- Coordination with your other doctors
The goal of palliative care is to relieve suffering and provide the best possible quality of life for patients and their families. Symptoms may include PAIN, DEPRESSION, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, FATIGUE, CONSTIPATION, NAUSEA, LOSS OF APPETITE, DIFFICULTY SLEEPING, and ANXIETY. The team will help you gain the strength to carry on with daily life.
What can I expect from palliative care?
In short, you can expect that your quality of life will be improved. You will have relief from symptoms such as PAIN, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, FATIGUE, CONSTIPATION, NAUSEA, LOSS OF APPETITE, and DIFFICULTY SLEEPING. You can also expect close communication and more control over your care.
Palliative care will help you carry on with daily life. It will improve your ability to go through medical treatments. And it will help you to match your goals to your treatment choices.
How do I get palliative care?
If you or a loved one is facing a chronic illness, you may benefit from palliative care. You can have palliative care at any point in your illness.
To get more information or speak to a healthcare professional abut whether you qualify, please call us at the number below.
Will my insurance cover it?
Most insurance plans cover all or part of palliative care, just as with other hospital and medical services. This is also true of Medicare and Medicaid. If costs concern you, a social worker or financial consultant from the palliative care team can help you with payment options.
