Understanding Palliative Care

March 2, 2021

Palliative care may be one of the most misunderstood terms in health care. Many people believe it’s the same as hospice care, and it means the end of life. But palliative care is different from hospice, and it can be very helpful to not only patients but their caregivers as well.

What is palliative care?

For individuals living with serious or chronic illness, and for their caregivers, palliative care offers medical and related treatments directed towards improving their patients’ quality of life. Palliative care professionals are more focused on relieving the effects of a patients’ disease such as pain, anxiety, fear and other symptoms rather than treating the disease itself, whose care remains with their other primary care or specialist doctors.

"Palliative care is a form of care that is not focused on the disease itself, but the patient. Our focus is the consequences of the disease, such as the pain or psychological aspects of the disease including the stress the disease has created for yourself and your family," said Dr. Goldman.

The most common health conditions addressed in palliative care include:

Cancer
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Kidney failure
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or other lung diseases
HIV/AIDS
Brain diseases such as stroke, ALS, or Parkinson’s
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Alzheimer’s and other dementias

Most importantly, this patient and family-centered care is appropriate at any age and at any stage of a serious or chronic illness. Care may be offered in the hospital, a long-term care facility, at home, or in outpatient clinics. For example, a person with cancer may be treated for chronic pain and lack of appetite that is the result of their ongoing treatments. Or, a person living with Alzheimer’s disease may be treated for anxiety, insomnia and caregiver fatigue.

What is the difference between palliative care and hospice?

Hospice is a small sub-set of palliative care. Hospice care is needed when it is deemed there are no further disease-directed treatments available for the patient or the treatments’ side effects outweigh the benefits of reducing a patient’s pain or suffering or prolonging their life. Unlike hospice, palliative care may begin at any stage of a serious illness and continue even while patients are receiving other disease treatments.

Are there palliative care services directed towards the family or caregivers?

Dr. Goldman shares, "Yes, there are specific services directed towards the family members. We spend a lot of time with the caregivers. A lot of family members go through ‘anticipatory mourning’. The patient is still alive, but the family oftentimes starts grieving before the family member has even passed. We look out for that and are able to offer counseling or support group resources."

How can you find palliative care services in your hometown?

MercyOne hospitals are able to provide palliative care services. Please see links below for MercyOne services available in your area. In addition, a patient’s primary care provider should be able to refer patients and families, or check online for palliative care resources close to home. Hospice care can be provided on-site in the home, in an assisted living or nursing home, hospital, or in a special hospice residence when death appears imminent.

Request Palliative Care

If you or a loved one is interested in receiving palliative care, please contact the following providers: