Palliative (pal-lee-uh-tiv) care is a specialized form of care that provides symptom relief, comfort and support to individuals living with serious illnesses. It also provides support to caregivers and those impacted by a loved one’s condition.
Palliative care is focused on improving the overall wellness of people with serious illnesses. It addresses both the symptoms and the stress of living with a chronic illness. It may also involve support for loved ones or caregivers.
Since it’s based on individual needs, palliative care can be quite different from one person to the next. A care plan might involve one or more of the following goals:
Since it’s based on individual needs, palliative care can be quite different from one person to the next. A care plan might involve one or more of the following goals:
Palliative Care Improves Quality of Life and Lowers Symptom Burden
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:
- Time to devote to intensive family meetings and patient/family counseling
- Skilled communication about what to expect in the future in order to ensure that care is matched to the goals and priorities of the patient and the family
- Expert management of complex physical and emotional symptoms, including complex pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, shortness of breath, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping
- Coordination and communication of care plans among all providers and across all settings
Numerous studies show that palliative care significantly improves patient quality of life and lowers symptom burden. Apart from being the right thing to do for patients, this improved quality of life also means that an encounter with the health care system is less stressful and traumatic for families.