What is Palliative Care
What is Palliative Care?
Wednesday July 1, 2020
For those with a chronic illness, the daily struggles of managing pain, multiple medications, and regular visits with the doctor can greatly impact overall quality of life. But there is support for living with a serious illness. Palliative care services help reduce the stress and physical effects of a chronic disease so that patients can continue to live a fulfilling life.
Palliative care collaborates with the patient’s physicians to assist in carrying out treatment plans while also providing symptom management, ongoing emotional support, and guidance in making difficult medical decisions. At Abramson Senior Care, our Palliative Care Team includes nurse practitioners and social workers who develop care plans focused on meeting each patient’s individualized goals.
What does palliative care mean?
Many people do not know what palliative care means, leading to a general misunderstanding of who can receive services. Palliative care’s focus is on providing comfort for all patients with a chronic illness; an end-of-life diagnosis is not required and patients can still receive curative treatments. Many patients need support for illnesses such as diabetes, heart and lung disease, or dementia. It can also be beneficial for those dealing with the after effects of a stroke or major surgery, or who are experiencing a decline in physical function and need extra help at home.
Palliative care provides ongoing support and monitoring, so if a health condition were to change, preventative supports can be quickly put into place.
Through holistic well-rounded care, palliative services can mean an enormously positive effect on patients and their caregivers. Studies have shown that those receiving services have better outcomes and an increase in satisfaction with their overall quality of life. Additionally, loved ones report feeling less overwhelmed and better equipped to provide care.
What is included in palliative care?
Abramson Senior Care’s Palliative Care includes a number of benefits, such as:
- Help managing complex symptoms, such as: pain, shortness of breath, depression and nausea
- Help with complicated medical decisions
- Individualized care plans
- Dedicated meetings for patients, caregivers and families
- Ongoing support to prevent hospitalizations
- Support for caregivers who may be dealing with exhaustion, or spiritual or psychological distress
For those living with a chronic illness, palliative care can provide much needed support that greatly improves quality of life. To learn more about how Abramson Senior Care’s Lila H. Levin Palliative Care Program can help, call 215.371.3550.
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