Palliative Care Supports Patients Coping With Serious Illness

How Palliative Care Differs From Hospice Care

Palliative care is often confused with hospice (end-of-life) care, but they are unique services. Palliative care helps patients as they continue to receive treatment for a disease or serious illness. The palliative care team works in collaboration with the medical team to manage the symptoms and side effects of the disease or the treatments being given. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance quality of life and support the patient and their caregivers throughout their treatment.

Palliative care encompasses the whole person, caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their families. Treatments are customized to meet individual patient needs and are provided by an expert team that may include doctors, nurses, social workers, therapists, pharmacists and nutritionists.

Hospice care is provided to patients when recovery is not expected and no further curative treatments are provided. Instead, the patient is provided comfort, support and pain management as they transition through the end of life. For patients with an illness that is ultimately defined as terminal, the joint venture, Hospice of the Western Reserve @UH, offers supportive, compassionate end-of-life care for both the patient and their loved ones. The joint venture builds on the strengths of both organizations to provide continuum of individualized services for patients and their families.

Goals of Palliative Care

The goals of palliative care are to prevent or ease pain, reduce stress and manage the symptoms that can accompany serious illness or the therapies used to treat the illness. It is beneficial at any stage of the illness because it is intended to complement, not replace, the treatment plan. Symptoms and side effects that can be managed by palliative care services include:

• Nausea and/or loss of appetite
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Anxiety and/or depression
• Difficulty sleeping
• Pain
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Treatment side effects
• Other challenges

Palliative Care Goes Beyond Medical Therapies

In addition to addressing the physical symptoms patients may experience, palliative care teams care for the whole person and offer a variety of therapies designed to improve quality of life throughout treatment. These may include:

• Medications
• Dietary adjustments and nutritional counseling
• Relaxation techniques and other integrative health therapies
• Emotional and spiritual support for the patient, family and caregivers