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Palliative Care: Support, Comfort and Relief for Chronic Illness
Providing Quality of Life for Your Loved OneIf your loved one suffers from a chronic or life-limiting illness, palliative care can improve quality of life by relieving symptoms and providing comfort There is perhaps a no more difficult time than when a loved one faces a chronic disease or terminal illness such as heart failure, kidney failure or Alzheimer’s disease, or a life-threatening injury. He or she may have pain, limited mobility, depression and other challenges that prevent him or her from living comfortably. Our palliative care program helps improve your loved one’s quality of life by relieving symptoms, providing comfort and offering you and your family support. We want you to know you’re not alone as you cope with your loved one’s challenges and weigh difficult decisions. We’ll ensure you have the right resources to help you and your loved one through the days ahead. What is palliative care?Palliative care helps improve quality of life. “Palliative” means to make a symptom better. But, it’s more than medical symptoms; we also look at these symptoms:Emotional: Is your loved one depressed or anxious because of his or her illness? Has he or she lost interest in the things he or she used to enjoy? Social : Is it hard for your loved one to get out of the house? Does your loved one miss going to church or shopping? Spiritual : Is your loved one contemplating the meaning of life? Is he or she worried about religious issues? Physical : Is your loved one suffering? Has he or she told a doctor about pain, shortness of breath, swelling or exhaustion? We’ll focus on what’s causing your loved one’s symptoms and find ways to provide relief. When your loved one suffers less, he or she will better enjoy life. We’ll also make sure we understand what is important to your loved one, and reach those goals, whether fishing, long walks in the park or spending time with family. Even though your loved one’s body may be wearing out, he or she still can enjoy social, emotional and spiritual growth. Our goal is to help your loved one live as fully and as comfortably as possible while he or she is sick. Take comfort in knowing we are looking out for your needs, too. If your loved one is being cared for in the intensive care unit, a trained “ambassador,” will serve as liaisons between your family and the care team. We want to make sure you have the details you need to make informed decisions and deal with the physical, spiritual and emotional effects of your loved one’s chronic illness, terminal disease or life-threatening injuries. When is the right time for palliative care?Palliative care can be initiated at any stage of you loved one’s illness. It is not limited to end-of-life care. It focuses on providing comfort and relief from suffering throughout your loved one’s illness, even while other treatments to improve his or her condition may be taking place.This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
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