Palliative care help people living with terminal illness feel better. Palliative care focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal of the palliative care team is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family.
A specially trained team of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals work together along with the patient’s doctor to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the need of the patient and not on the patient’s prognosis. Palliative care is provided along with curative treatment and is appropriate at any age and at any stage of the illness.
Palliative Care is often offered to people living with one of the following illness:
- Lung disease
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Heart disease
- Kidney failure
- HIV\AIDS
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Palliative care can be given at the same time as curative treatment. The doctor may suggestive palliative treatment when the illness is diagnosed, throughout the treatment, at the end of life or during follow-up.
Benefits of Palliative Treatment
There are plenty of benefits to choosing palliative care. Some of them include but are not limited to:
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Improves Quality of Life
The team of palliative care professionals focuses on improving the patient’s quality of life. They treat the patient suffering from the stress and symptoms of serious illnesses such as congestive heart failure, ALS, cancer, Kidney disease, COPD, and many more.
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Matches Your Treatment Goals
The palliative care team spends a lot of time matching the treatment choices with your goals. They make sure your doctor knows and understands your needs. This gives the patient control over his care and helps improve life quality.
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Relieves Suffering From Stress and Symptoms
The goal of palliative care is to relieve patient stress and suffering while providing the best possible quality of life. Some of the symptoms include difficulty sleeping, shortness of breath, constipation, loss of appetite, nausea, depression, anxiety, pain, and more.
A recent study has shown that patients living with serious illness who receive palliative care live longer than those who do not receive this care.
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Work With Your Primary Physician
Palliative care team specialists work with the patient’s primary physician and their family members. The palliative specialists provide an extra layer of support while supporting the patient and his family at the most vulnerable time.
If you are one of your loved ones is facing a serious illness, talk to a palliative care expert. You can choose palliative care at any point in your illness.
Inspiration Hospice partners with the patient’s primary physician to create an individualized plan that meets the unique need of the patient. We support both patient and their families. Moreover, palliative care can be provided anywhere that a patient calls home.
Have doubt about whether it’s the right time to enroll in palliative care or not, please get in touch with us today for a palliative care consultation.
