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What is PALLIATIVE CARE?
Palliative care is comfort care for patients with a serious illness. Often these patients are faced with pain, suffering, and the possibility of dying, even while they are receiving treatment. This is difficult for patients and families to deal with and raises a lot of questions:
- I do not understand my illness. Can you explain it to me?
- A palliative care team is made up of nurses, doctors, social workers, clergy, and other health care professionals. This “interdisciplinary” nature allows the palliative care team to help you have open discussions between you and your physician.
- I am having a lot of pain. Is it safe to take pain medications?
- Sometimes the illness or treatment you receive causes a lot of pain. Many times pain goes uncontrolled out of fear of taking pain medication. Palliative care professionals provide highly skilled symptom management for pain, as well as, anxiety, constipation, weakness, and many other kinds of discomfort. They also help patients and families deal with side effects of therapies.
- I feel so sad, but I do not know how to talk about it?
- Palliative care recognizes that emotional and spiritual distresses are important sources of suffering. Palliative care teams can offer help with non-physical pain through counseling and spiritual support.
- Where am I going to go when I leave the hospital?
- There are many choices when leaving the hospital, such as going home, to a nursing home, to a rehabilitation (physical therapy) center, or to a hospice. Palliative care can help you identify the place that is best for you based on your wishes and your needs.
- The treatments I am taking are making me feel sick and I am not getting better, when is it ok to stop?
- The question of stopping treatment when it is not helping is a difficult one. Palliative care can discuss with you and your doctor what the best plan is for you. If you decide stopping treatment is best for you, it is important to remember that it is not giving up and it is not the same as doing nothing. Instead, your medical care will continue with a focus on comfort.
- My family does not understand my wishes, how do I talk to them about it?
- Talking to your family about your wishes near the end of life, also called advanced directives, is an important conversation to have, but it can be hard to do. Having your family aware of your wishes, such as whether or not you want a tube feeding or want life support to help you breathe, can make decision making easier for everyone. Palliative care can meet with you and your loved ones and help identify what your wishes are.
- What will happen when I die?
- Palliative care recognizes that dealing with death is a part of life and prepares patients and their families to meet it so when the time comes, patients can die on their own terms.
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