Palliative care and hospice care (end-of-life comfort and care)
Palliative care prevents or treats the symptoms and side effects of a patient’s disease and treatment. Normally patients with cancer, heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure, dementia, HIV/AIDS, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are eligible to receive palliative care.
Palliative care is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing the problems associated with a life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment, and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial, or spiritual.”
Patients can start receiving palliative care as soon as they are diagnosed and begin treatments for an illness, during follow-up, and at the end of life. Patients can remain under the care of their health care provider and receive treatment for their disease while using palliative care services.
Hospice care is focused on helping a sick person feel comfortable, rather than treating their condition. Also known as end-of-life care, hospice care is for individuals who are in the last stages of a serious illness and have decided not to pursue medical treatments. In general, hospice care focuses on symptom relief, comfort, and emotional and spiritual support.
Our approach to palliative and hospice care at home is to match patients and families with the perfect care provider to help them spend quality time together.