5 Reasons Palliative Care Matters

Palliative care is the type of care that focuses on providing relief from pain and other symptoms and preventing or treating any complications. It can be provided at home, in a hospital or hospice setting, or at a nursing facility. Palliative care helps patients live with dignity by meeting their physical needs while also addressing their emotional and spiritual needs. In this article, we will discuss five reasons why palliative care matters to you and your loved ones!

Palliative Care Helps Improve the Quality of Life

When it comes to quality of life, everyone’s definition is different. Some patients may feel like they are improving their quality of life by undergoing major surgery or treatment that significantly extends their life expectancy. However, others may define “quality of life” as time spent at home doing the things you enjoy and feeling good while doing them. Palliative care can help provide this type of comfort for those who have serious illnesses such as cancer or heart disease to maintain an improved sense of well-being throughout their illness. People living with other chronic conditions requiring ongoing medical attention also benefit from palliative care services either alone or with curative treatments. Having to spend time in hospice would be included. Just make sure you get hospice billing help with your stay.

Palliative Care Can Help Manage Pain and Symptoms

For many patients, the physical symptoms associated with a serious illness can be just as difficult – if not more difficult – to cope with than the emotional side effects. Palliative care specialists are experts in managing pain and other common symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and fatigue. They can work closely with you and your other doctors to develop a treatment plan that is tailored specifically to your needs. This can mean medications, therapies, or dietary changes that will help make you more comfortable during your illness. In addition, palliative care teams often provide support for caregivers who may feel overwhelmed or stressed.

Palliative Care Provides Support For Patients and Families

It is important to remember that everyone involved in caring for a patient with a serious illness is feeling some stress. It’s difficult for doctors, nurses, family members, friends – even other patients receiving standard treatment protocols – not to worry about someone they love when they have an extremely challenging disease or condition. Palliative care specialists can help ease this concern by providing support services such as:

• grief counselling during times of loss
• assistance resolving medical disputes between doctors
• coordination of physicians’ prescriptions, so all medications work together effectively without causing harmful side effects;
• referrals to community resources like financial aid agencies and religious organizations if needed;
• guidance on how to be more effective caregivers at home through better communication skills or time management
• and more.

Palliative Care is Available at Any Stage of a Serious Illness

Chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and COPD often require ongoing treatment for months or even years. This can be extremely difficult for patients and their families as they struggle to understand the diagnosis and learn how to live with the illness. Palliative care is available at any stage of a serious illness – from early on when you are still trying to get a clear diagnosis to near the end of life. Receiving palliative care services does not mean you have “given up” or stopped fighting your illness. It simply means that you are now receiving specialized support from experts in managing pain and other common symptoms, helping you to feel more comfortable during your illness.

Palliative care is a comprehensive, holistic approach to improving the quality of life for patients and families facing serious illnesses. It offers dignity, comfort, pain relief, emotional support, and spiritual guidance in addition to medical treatment. The earlier palliative care begins after diagnosis or during an illness, the greater chance it has for success.