Palliative Care

4/21/2009

Palliative care is a type of care for people who have serious illnesses that can't be cured. Palliative care is designed to enhance quality of life and relieve suffering for a person with a serious illness and his or her family. It helps patients and families live as well as they can with the illness that they have. Palliative care can be provided along with any other treatments at any time during an illness, from the time a person is diagnosed to the last days of his or her life. Palliative care may help you if you or your family member has a serious illness or condition that is affecting the quality of your life. For example, pain from your illness might be keeping you from enjoying time with your friends and family. Or you may feel that the treatment for your illness has become more of a burden than a help to you, and you would like some help thinking through your options for ongoing treatment. Palliative care is usually provided by a team, including doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and others. Many hospitals have palliative care teams that work with patients to come up with the best plan of care that meets the patient's goals. Palliative care can be provided along with all other treatments at any time during an illness, from the time a person is diagnosed to the last days of his or her life. For more information, visit www.getpalliativecare.org,no 1249,5/7/2009,Coalition Meeting,7:30am at Sacred Heart Hospital Conference Room 15 near the ER on 900 W. Clairemont