Living with a serious or complex illness can affect much more than your physical health. Symptoms, treatment, stress, and uncertainty can also take an emotional and spiritual toll on patients and their families.
Palliative care provides an added layer of support focused on managing symptoms, improving comfort, and helping patients maintain the best possible quality of life throughout a serious illness.
Understanding when palliative care may be appropriate can help patients and families get the support they need sooner.
What Is the Purpose of Palliative Care?
Palliative care focuses on relieving the symptoms and challenges associated with a serious or life-limiting illness. It can address physical concerns such as pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue, as well as emotional, social, and spiritual needs.
Palliative care is sometimes confused with hospice care, but there is an important distinction. Palliative care can be provided at any stage of a chronic or serious illness and alongside treatments intended to manage or treat the disease. Hospice care is designed for patients who are nearing the end of life and whose goals of care have shifted toward comfort and quality of life.
Both share an important goal: helping patients experience greater comfort, support, and quality of life.
When Should You Consider Palliative Care?
Palliative care may be appropriate at different stages of a serious illness. In many cases, introducing palliative care earlier can help patients better manage symptoms, navigate changes in their condition, and maintain their quality of life. The original article also notes research supporting early palliative care as a way to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, services, and costs.
Here are six situations when palliative care may provide additional support.
1. Advanced Cancer
Palliative care can be introduced at any point during cancer treatment. A palliative care team can work alongside a patient’s other healthcare providers to help manage symptoms and side effects related to the disease or its treatment.
Palliative care can also provide patients and their loved ones with additional guidance and support as their needs change throughout the course of the illness.
2. Chronic or Progressive Illness
People living with chronic or progressive illnesses may benefit from additional support as their condition changes over time.
Palliative care may be appropriate for people living with conditions such as:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia
- Heart disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Liver or kidney disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other lung conditions
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Progressive neurological diseases
- Sickle cell anemia
- Stroke
The palliative care team can help patients and families navigate the symptoms and day-to-day challenges that may accompany these conditions.
3. Changing Goals of Care
As a serious illness progresses, a patient’s needs, priorities, and goals may change. Palliative care can provide support as patients and families navigate those changes and consider what matters most to them.
When the focus of care shifts from treating an illness to prioritizing comfort and quality of life near the end of life, hospice care may also be appropriate.
4. Difficulty Managing Symptoms
Serious illnesses can cause symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and other discomfort. Palliative care can help manage these symptoms with a focus on improving comfort and quality of life.
If symptoms are becoming more difficult to manage or are interfering with everyday life, it may be time to talk with a healthcare provider about whether palliative care could provide additional support.
5. Challenges with Everyday Activities
As an illness progresses, symptoms can make everyday activities more difficult. Patients may experience changes in appetite, difficulty sleeping, or challenges with walking and mobility.
Palliative care considers the whole person—not just the diagnosis—and can provide support to help patients and their loved ones navigate these changing needs.
6. Emotional or Spiritual Distress
Serious illness can affect emotional and spiritual well-being as much as physical health. Patients and their loved ones may experience stress, uncertainty, fear, or other difficult emotions.
Palliative care can provide emotional and spiritual support based on each patient’s individual needs, beliefs, and preferences while also helping families navigate the impact of serious illness.
Palliative Care Support from The Care Team
At The Care Team, we understand that living with a serious illness can bring questions, challenges, and uncertainty for the entire family. Our palliative care team works alongside patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare providers to help manage symptoms, provide education and support, and focus care on what matters most to each patient.
If you’re wondering whether palliative care may be appropriate for you or someone you love, we’re here to help.
Submit a Request Care form to learn more about palliative care and the support available in your community.
