logo
logo
Sign in

End Of Life Care: Understanding The Importance Of Palliative Care

avatar
Victoria PalliativeCare
End Of Life Care: Understanding The Importance Of Palliative Care

End of life care is important for you, your family and your loved ones. It allows you to focus on what's most important, while receiving the pain relief that you need to make it as comfortable as possible.

Why is end of life care important?

Palliative care is a holistic approach to health care that focuses on improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Palliative care can help with symptoms such as pain, nausea, fatigue and depression that are common at the end of life. It also provides emotional support and assistance with decision making while respecting cultural differences.

The goal of palliative care is to improve quality of life. Palliative care can be provided along with curative treatments or on its own.

How can I find out if I need end of life care?

If you think that you may need end of life care, here are some things to consider:

  • Ask your doctor. Your doctor can help determine if end of life care is right for you and whether or not it's covered by your insurance plan.
  • Check with the social worker or case manager at the hospital where you're staying. They can tell you what types of services they offer in terms of palliative care and hospice services in the area.
  • Ask family members and friends who have had experience dealing with a similar situation as yours--they may be able to give valuable insight into what kind of resources would be helpful during this time period (and also provide emotional support).

Consider a consultation with a hospice provider. Hospice care is specialized care that focuses on relieving pain and symptoms in patients who are near the end of life. It also provides assistance for families, including emotional support and counseling.

     

What happens when I receive palliative care?

Palliative care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers and other specialists. Your palliative care team will work with you and your family to assess the best way to manage your illness. They'll also help you understand what to expect as the end of life approaches.

Your palliative care team may meet with you in the hospital or at home. They will provide support for both caregivers and patients throughout this time period so that everyone involved can focus on quality of life rather than quantity of days left to live. Palliative care is available regardless of income level or insurance status--everyone deserves quality end-of-life experiences!

Palliative care or End of life care is especially important for people with chronic illnesses. It can be difficult to find a doctor who will provide end-of-life care, but there are resources that can help. We've put together a list of organizations that may be able to assist you in finding palliative care services in your area.

Conclusion

If you or a loved one is facing a terminal illness, you may have questions about what to expect and how to get the care you need. Palliative care offers support throughout the end-of-life process by providing symptom management, emotional support and spiritual guidance for both patients and their families.


collect
0
avatar
Victoria PalliativeCare
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more