What do you need to know about palliative care?
- Definition of palliative care
- People who benefit from palliative care
- Palliative care team
- Palliative care consultation
- Palliative care plan
If you’re suffering from a serious illness, your quality of life can be significantly affected. Because of the pain and stress, you might not enjoy all the things you once did. But this can be reversed with the help of a palliative care team. Palliative care, which focuses on relieving your symptoms, reducing pain, and providing holistic care, can help improve you and your family’s quality of life. If you want to know what is palliative care, keep on reading.
Definition Of Palliative Care
Palliative care is the approach to care that focuses on improving the quality of life of patients with serious illnesses. Aside from the medical treatment you currently receive, this approach involves pain management methods to make your journey to healing as comfortable as possible. It focuses on providing care for people of all ages—kids, adults, and elders included.
Each patient has their own experience with suffering. In addition to that, an individual, their goals, and their family dynamics are different. With palliative care, there is no generalization—instead, it is patient-centered. This means that the care team considers the priorities of the patient when developing the palliative care plan.
Other than pain, palliative care also focuses on the management of symptoms—such as fatigue, constipation, insomnia, loss of appetite, and more. For some, practical, emotional, and spiritual support is also vital.
People Who Benefit From Palliative Care
Palliative care can be accessed by anyone suffering from a major illness. It can be helpful at any stage—whether you’re just diagnosed or have been sick for a long time. Palliative care can be administered while a patient is under regular treatment for their disease. Some of the illnesses it could help with are listed below:
- Cancer
- Kidney failure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Cystic fibrosis
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s disease
- Lung disease
- Liver disease
- HIV/AIDS
Some people recover from their illness and end palliative care. While others might return to it once the disease recurs. If death is near, it is also beneficial to move on to hospice care, which also focuses on providing a better quality of life until the end of life.
Palliative Care Team
Palliative care focuses on your unique needs as a patient. This means the people that are included in your team might also differ depending on your concerns and the healthcare facility you choose. They will work with your primary doctors and family to provide you the best medical, social, emotional, and practical support you might need. Some of the professionals that might be on your team include:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Social workers
- Nutritionists
- Religious representative
- Counselors
- Physical Therapists
Your palliative care team can provide treatment of your pain, help you manage your symptoms, discuss your treatment choices, help you go through the healthcare system, assist in your transition from the hospital to home care, and more.
Palliative Care Consultation
If you’re interested in palliative care, you might ask your current health care provider for a referral. During your consultation, you can prepare the following:
- List of medications and supplements you’re taking
- List of symptoms you’re experiencing
It is also recommended to bring a friend or a family member with you during your consultation because palliative care involves the people around you too.
During your consultation with a palliative care specialist, you can also ask the following questions so you can better understand the treatment:
- What should I expect from palliative care?
- Who are the people included in my palliative care team?
- What are your suggestions for my palliative care treatment?
- Can I receive care from the hospital, home, or hospice?
- Will you communicate with my primary doctors?
If you have additional questions about palliative care, don’t hesitate to ask because your team is there to help you out through the process.
Palliative Care Plan
Palliative care is focused on your overall wellbeing. This means that aside from helping manage your body pain, it also aims to provide support for all areas of your life. It also extends to your family members and caregivers too. Your team will prepare a plan that suits your specific needs. Some areas it might help with are the following:
Physical Care
- Nutrition
- Medicine
- Physical or occupational therapy
Practical Care
- Explain your treatment choices
- Refer you to legal, insurance, or job-related counseling
- Guide you through the healthcare system
Emotional And Spiritual Care
- Mental health counseling
- Religious or spiritual guidance
- Support groups
Key Takeaway
What is palliative care? It is the holistic care provided to patients that are suffering from a serious illness. For example, one of the most life-threatening diseases that cause physical, psychological, social, and spiritual problems to patients is cancer. In addition to medical support, Perpetual Help Medical Center-Las Pinas is here to provide palliative and hospice care to cancer patients. A team of experienced specialists will support the patient through their concerns so they can reach the best possible quality of life.
If you or someone you know needs palliative care, you can send a message here at Perpetual Help Medical Center-Las Pinas.