The goal of
palliative care is to relieve suffering and ensure the best possible quality of life for
people facing advanced chronic and life-threatening illness. It is provided
alongside all other appropriate curative treatments.
Palliative Care includes management of pain and physical symptoms, adjusting
the care plan around the patients and provide support for emotional suffering.
Palliative care helps the patient and their loved ones deal with the uncertainties
of a serious illness.
Lessening pain, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, depression, shortness of breath,
constipation, loss of appetite and other symptoms that may accompany serious
illness or are side effects of treatment.
Addressing Changing Goals of Care
Helping you consider care options and make decisions about quality of life.
Interpreting the benefits and burdens of care such as test, surgeries or
medication.
Helping determine when or if to begin or discontinue treatments.
Enhancing Patient and Family Support
Helping identify what is important to you and your family and convey this
to the care team.
Supporting communication in complicated family situations.
Providing spiritual and emotional support throughout the course of illness.
Promoting well-being and peace of mind.
Promoting the best quality of life.
If death is near, helping all involved create meaning by supporting reflection,
repairing relationships and creating memories.
