Palliative Care
To "palliate" means to comfort or soothe. Illness trajectories are changing, and people diagnosed with serious or life-threatening illnesses can now live many years with their condition. Palliative Medicine is a specialty discipline within medicine and nursing which focuses on optimizing quality of life and reducing suffering. It is an approach to care which includes emotional, social and spiritual support, advance care planning, as well as, effective pain and symptom management throughout the trajectory of the illness. Palliative care also maintains a deep respect for client and family goals in addressing difficult care decisions.
Education and advocacy help clients to "live well", despite any challenges they may encounter. Education allows for positive lifestyle changes and encourages patients to be proactive in managing their health. Information related to treatment options, community resources and prognosis can be instrumental for “informed decision making” and may serve to decrease stress when planning for future care. Palliative Care can be provided at any age or stage of illness and can be provided along with curative treatment. It can be accessed across care delivery settings (i.e. hospitals, long term care settings, assisted living communities, clinics, residential hospices, individual homes).
Advance Care Planning: refers to making decisions about the care you would want to receive if you happen to become unable to speak for yourself. These decisions are based on your personal values, preferences, and discussions with loved ones. It is imperative that family members understand your wishes. Advance care planning includes:
~Getting information on the types of life-sustaining treatments that are available.
~Deciding what types of treatment you would or would not want should you be diagnosed with a life-limiting illness.
~Sharing your personal values with your loved ones.
Your health care wishes can be formalized through:
~ A Health Care Power of Attorney (Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care): A document in which the patient appoints someone to make decisions about his/her medical care if he/she cannot make those decisions.
~ A Living Will: A written document in which a patient’s wishes regarding the administration of medical treatment are described if the patient becomes unable to communicate at the end of life.