Palliative care is an important part of end-of-life planning, but you don’t have to wait until the end of life to benefit from it. Palliative care services can start as soon as a diagnosis is made that indicates a serious or life-limiting condition. It’s important for patients and their families to be proactive in seeking out palliative care services to ensure their quality of life is improved and their needs are managed properly.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on providing curative relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. It is an important part of any comprehensive patient-centered care plan and includes physical, emotional, and spiritual support for patients and their families or caregivers. Palliative care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and other specialists who work together with a patient’s primary care physician to provide the best possible supportive care.
Who is Palliative Care Intended for?
Palliative care is intended for anyone who has a serious illness and needs curative relief from physical, emotional, and spiritual symptoms. It is especially beneficial when the patient’s condition is progressing to end-of-life care. Palliative care can be provided at any stage of an illness, including during treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
What are the Benefits of Palliative Care?
Palliative care offers a range of benefits for patients and their families. It can help reduce the emotional and physical burden of serious illnesses, improve quality of life, provide emotional support to family members, and ultimately prolong life expectancy. Palliative care also helps to coordinate all facets of a patient’s care, allowing them to receive better and more efficient care from their medical team.
What is the Difference Between Palliative Care and Curative Care?
Palliative care and curative care are two distinct yet closely related forms of medical treatment. While both types of care aim to improve a patient’s quality of life, the major difference is that palliative care focuses on providing relief from symptoms and curation. Curative care solely focuses on curing or treating an illness or condition.
When Is It Time for Palliative Care?
Palliative care should not be delayed until a patient is nearing the end of their life. In fact, it is beneficial to start early in order to ensure that all aspects of a patient’s care are managed properly and they are receiving the best possible support. Palliative care can start as soon as a diagnosis is made that indicates a serious or life-limiting condition. It is important to seek out palliative care services in order to improve the quality of life for both the patient and their family members. Palliative care should not be seen as a “last resort” but rather an integral part of comprehensive healthcare plans that increase a patient’s quality of life.
Receive Palliative Care with Unique Hospice
At Unique Hospice, we provide comprehensive palliative care services to help you and your loved ones manage the effects and symptoms of serious illnesses. We understand that each person is unique and has specific needs, so we provide personalized plans that improve the quality of life for patients and their families. To learn more about our palliative care services or to schedule a consultation, contact us online today or call (626) 335-7077.
