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Palliative care, or end of life care, as it’s also known, is a specialised area of healthcare that focuses on providing relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness, regardless of the diagnosis or stage of the disease.
This form of care is available at any stage of the illness, including when you first learn that you have a life-limiting or terminal condition. It can be integrated alongside curative treatment or as the main focus of care, depending on the individual’s needs and preferences. The aim of palliative care is to allow someone to live as well as they can and when the time comes, die with dignity.
Although palliative care can be offered at any stage, there are some specific times when you may wish to consider putting it in place. For example, if a family member experiences difficult-to-control symptoms such as pain, nausea, or fatigue that are affecting their quality of life. They may have also started recurrent hospitalisations due to their illness, indicating that their condition is becoming a lot more challenging to manage. Palliative care can also be an important part of supporting patients and their families to understand the prognosis and to help make decisions that are aligned with their values and wishes.
It is a very personalised process that aims to provide the best comfort and support for people facing life-limiting conditions, such as dementia, cancer or any other incurable disease.
This decision to begin this type of care is often made in collaboration with healthcare professionals, patients, and their families, considering factors such as the progression of the illness, symptom severity, treatment goals, and personal wishes.
As well as managing pain and distress, palliative care can also include spiritual and psychological support for you and your family or carers. This holistic approach is geared towards “you” as a person and not just around the illness you’ve been diagnosed with or the symptoms you’re experiencing.
GPs and community nurses often play a significant role in coordinating palliative care for patients living at home. Other places such as hospices, have special facilities that focus on palliative care, including inpatient days.
GoodOaks specialist care is centred around each individual we care for. We take time to get to know our clients and their families, to create care plans tailored to their likes, dislikes and wishes. For more information or to speak to a member of our team, please get in touch.
