Watching a family member struggle with daily tasks can be difficult. It is just as difficult as attempting to provide as much assistance as you can all the time. The goal of palliative care is to enhance the quality of life for patients and their families who are facing a terminal disease. Yet, many individuals are misinformed about what it is. Many people believe that palliative care consists solely of pain treatment for those who are in their final months of life. Yet palliative care at home offers a lot more than just pain treatment, as well as several other advantages.
What does it do?
Practically speaking, palliative care can encompass a very wide range of daily care services. It’s crucial to keep in mind that providing palliative care entails more than merely checking off a to-do list; how the care is delivered matters just as much as the specifics of the chores themselves. Your care will be personalized to your specific needs with the ultimate goal of enhancing your quality of life and assisting you in maintaining your independence. Your palliative care can include assistance with personal care, medication administration, and continence management, if necessary.
When should palliative care be made available to someone?
When a person is identified as having a serious, protracted sickness or a life-limiting condition, palliative care should be made available. These ailments range from, but are not limited to:
- Cancer
- Advancing Heart Failure (CHF)
- lung disease that is chronically obstructed
- renal disease
- Alzheimer’s condition
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Acute Muscular Dystrophy (ALS)
The advantages of hospice care
- While a person is suffering from a serious illness, palliative care can be initiated at any time. The sooner you begin, the more benefits from your care you’re sure to receive. Early palliative care patients reported:
- Feeling improved
- Less symptomatic
- Better mood
- Improved standard of living
- Additionally, there is some evidence that persons who get early palliative care live longer.
Conclusion
Everyone who has been affected benefits from palliative care. We are hoping that adjustments will be made to improve support and access for this crucial service as we continue the push towards value-based care.