Palliative Care
What is Palliative Care?
Like hospice care, palliative care is patient and family-centered and seeks to promote quality of life through support provided by our palliative team. This is achieved by addressing a broad spectrum of needs with the aim of supporting patient independence when navigating serious illness.
Palliative care is available to patients who have not received a terminal diagnosis, or who may not be ready for hospice support. While hospice is only available to patients who have stopped life-prolonging treatment, palliative care can be provided alongside such treatment.
Palliative care can be received alongside curative or life-prolonging care, and can be understood as a stepping stone to hospice care. Palliative care professionals will collaborate with the patient, other care providers, and family members/loved ones to ensure the utmost support for the patient.
WHAT DOES PALLIATIVE CARE PROVIDE?
Our palliative team will check in with patients by phone and provide intermittent visits as needed to support patients with:
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Pain & symptom management related to illness
Expert management of complex physical and emotional symptoms, including pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, shortness of breath, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping.
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Medication & prescription management
Help with ensuring essential medications are ordered and accessible, as well as help with administration schedules.
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Accessing medical equipment
Support in arranging the provision of specialized beds, commodes, wheelchairs/walking aids, and more.
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Education to family & other caregivers
Time can be devoted to family meetings and patient/family counseling.
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Setting goals for care & treatment
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.
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Understanding & navigating the medical system & overall support with the coordination of care
Support with the communication of care plans among all providers across all settings.