If you’re looking for a temporary option for caring for a loved one or yourself, palliative care may be an option. Palliative care, a part of comprehensive home hospice care provides care to patients with serious illnesses or temporary recovery needs after medical procedures. It’s available to anyone at any stage of their illness or recovery.
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What is palliative care?
The term “palliative” comes from the Latin verb palliare which means “to cloak.” Palliative care is a specialized caring method. It’s delivered by a trained team of medical professionals who help alleviate symptoms and stress associated with being seriously ill. They are literally “cloaking” them with professional care. The primary goal of this care method is to provide comfort to patients to maximize their quality of life. It also aims to help the patient’s family rest assured that their loved one is in good hands.
What are the key characteristics of palliative care?
Palliative care is a kind of “one-stop shop” for addressing all of a patient’s medical needs. A wide variety of services is done under the same program. This streamlines operations and makes things much more convenient and less stressful for all parties involved. Packages aim to perform the following actions:
- Make the patient comfortable
- Administer medication
- Provide all necessary equipment
- Offer counseling when needed
- Manage symptoms
This therapy is available to those who need it, even if their illness isn’t terminal. It can be temporary or long-term, providing a good support system to everyone going through the illness together. Such comprehensive care can be provided at home, in the hospital, nursing home, or at an extended-care facility.
What are the goals of palliative care?
The short answer is that teams aim to care for loved ones and their families. This program specializes in managing the symptoms of serious illnesses that cause a lot of stress on all parties. Those suffering from the following health conditions can benefit from this kind of care:
- Different types of Cancer
- Various coronary conditions
- Lung disease
- Kidney disease
- Stroke
- HIV/AIDS
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
What kind of services can one expect from a palliative care team?
The medical professionals on a palliative care team will be on-site wherever the patient may be. This specialized team works around the clock to take care of the patient’s symptoms. They strive to make him or her as comfortable as possible. The primary team is made up of doctors and nurses but may also extend include massage therapists, nutritionists, pharmacists, and chaplains. This is based on the specific needs of the patient.
Not only does this program treat somatic symptoms like pain, fatigue, constipation, nausea, lack of appetite, insomnia, and shortness of breath, but it also reaches out to treat mental conditions like depression and anxiety that are usually associated with serious illnesses. After all, patients need more than just pharmaceutical interventions when dealing with a health condition. They can benefit from counseling and emotional support that a team provides, which makes their treatment all the more comprehensive.
Related: Easing End-of-Life Suffering: Palliative Care for Late-Stage Illness
What are the benefits of using palliative care services?
All parties benefit from palliative care.
- The medical professionals on your side belong to an organized team who will be on top of your loved one’s condition. Because they can closely communicate with each other and the patient, they can to give their best care and insights.
- Loved ones benefit because they receive personalized, streamlined care that comes from one program that is organized and in tune with their needs. The palliative care team takes the time to communicate with them and lets them be in control of their treatment by informing them of all their options. Overall, the quality of life of the patient is optimized.
- Caregivers and family members also benefit because they no longer feel alone and as stressed because they know their loved one is in good hands. They can be confident in the care team’s expertise and feel a bit of the weight fall off their shoulders.
Related: How to Care for a Dying Parent at Home
Our mission is clear. At Omni Care, our goal is to provide your loved one with compassionate, quality comfort care. Palliative care is one of the many services we provide that help ease the burden and stress of going through a serious illness with a loved one. If you have any questions about what is palliative care and how it can help you or a loved one, please contact us today.
