Have you ever watched a loved one struggle with the relentless symptoms of a serious illness and felt helpless? Seeing someone you love grapple with pain isn’t something anyone would like to endure. The frustration and sorrow that come from being unable to alleviate their suffering can be overwhelming. In these moments, finding effective ways to provide support and comfort becomes paramount. This is where palliative care makes a world of difference.
Palliative care isn’t just about finding the right medical treatments. It’s about managing a client’s pain, anxiety, and providing emotional support through everything they’re going through.
Palliative care is a compassionate approach that aims to improve the quality of life for people facing serious health issues, especially in aged care. This specialised care focuses on relieving symptoms and providing psychological, social, and spiritual support, making a significant difference in the lives of elderly patients and their families.
When discussing what is palliative care in aged care, we look at how it helps manage complex health challenges with dignity and comfort. This type of care ensures that patients receive the best possible support to ease their pain and improve their overall well-being.
Exploring Palliative Care Services
Palliative Care is a type of healthcare that aims to alleviate the symptoms and suffering caused by serious illnesses. The primary goal is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
Types of Palliative Care Services
Palliative care services come in different forms to meet the unique needs of each patient. These include:
Inpatient Palliative Care
This type of care is provided in hospitals or specialised palliative care units. Patients receive round-the-clock medical attention to manage symptoms and improve their comfort. Inpatient palliative care is ideal for those who need intensive symptom management or have complex medical needs.
Outpatient Palliative Care
Patients visit clinics or healthcare centres to receive palliative care while continuing to live at home. This type of care is integrated with regular medical appointments, allowing patients to receive specialised support without needing a hospital stay.
Home-Based Palliative Care
Some people don’t have an idea of what is palliative care at home. Basically, this service allows patients to receive comprehensive palliative care in a familiar and comfortable environment. Healthcare professionals visit the patient regularly to manage symptoms, provide medications, and offer support to both the patient and their caregivers.
Palliative care unit – Hospital
Palliative care for patients nearing the end of life can also be provided within a hospital. It focuses on providing comfort and support with an emphasis on dignity and quality of life in the final stages of illness.
At Vital Home Health, we train our caregivers to provide dedicated palliative care for people with various conditions and needs. We take a holistic approach to all forms of palliative care. We ensure you receive the care and attention necessary to enhance your quality of life.
What Services Does Palliative Care Provide?
Palliative care offers a variety of services are designed to cater to the holistic needs of patients. These services include:
Pain and Symptom Management
Ensuring patients are as comfortable as possible by managing pain and other distressing symptoms. Healthcare providers use various techniques and medications to control pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and other symptoms that affect the quality of life of the patient.
Emotional and Psychological Support
Palliative care includes counselling and mental health support to help patients and their families cope with the emotional impact of serious illness. Support groups and individual therapy sessions provide a safe space to express feelings and find comfort.
Care Coordination
Ensuring that all aspects of a patient’s care are organised and streamlined. Palliative care teams work closely with other healthcare providers to manage treatments, appointments, and transitions between care settings, making the process as smooth as possible.
Whether patients need pain management assistance or help finding spiritual guidance, palliative care provides various care and support options that can be customised to meet their needs.
Specialised Palliative Care Support Services
Support services are a crucial part of palliative care. They help improve the overall well-being of patients and their families. Some common support services include:
Nutritional Support
Proper nutrition is vital for maintaining strength and well-being. Dietitians and nutritionists in palliative care provide tailored dietary plans and support to help patients meet their nutritional needs.
Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
These therapies help patients maintain mobility and independence. Physiotherapists provide exercises and treatments to improve strength and function, while occupational therapists assist with daily activities and adapting the home environment.
Palliative care support services are centred around the individual. They involve treating patients according to their preferences and values, listening to their needs and those of their family. They also include the patient in planning their treatment and ongoing care.
Role of Palliative Care Professionals
Your palliative care team consists of professionals with various skills to address a wide range of issues.
Palliative Care Physicians
These doctors specialise in managing complex medical issues related to serious illnesses. They develop and oversee care plans, ensuring that patients receive the best possible symptom management and support.
Palliative Care Nurses
What do palliative care nurses do when there’s already a doctor overseeing the entire care plan? Nurses in palliative care play a key role in providing day-to-day care. They assess and manage symptoms, educate patients and families, coordinate care, and offer emotional support.
The palliative care team will help you find ways to live as fulfilling a life as possible. This might include spending time with family and friends, recording your memories, or reflecting on your life. They can also refer you to organisations and services that can assist with financial, emotional, and practical needs.
Addressing Misconceptions and Understanding Benefits
There are several common misconceptions about palliative care. Let’s address these misunderstandings and clarify the true nature and benefits of palliative care:
Palliative Care is Only for End-of-Life Situations
Many people believe that palliative care paints a grim outlook of a persons care. However, it focuses on improving quality of life and can be given alongside other prescribed care and treatments.
Receiving Palliative Care Means Giving Up on Other Treatments
Some think that opting for palliative care means stopping all other treatments. In reality, palliative care is designed to work in conjunction with curative or life-prolonging treatments. It helps manage symptoms and side effects, allowing patients to continue with their primary treatments more comfortably.
Palliative Care is Only for Cancer Patients
While palliative care is often associated with cancer, it is available to patients with a wide range of serious illnesses, such as heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure, dementia, and more. Any patient suffering from severe symptoms due to a chronic condition can benefit from palliative care.
Palliative Care Hastens Death
Some people mistakenly believe that palliative care hastens death by focusing only on comfort measures. In truth, palliative care aims to enhance the quality of life and can actually help patients live longer by improving symptom management and overall well-being.
Palliative Care is Only for Adults
Palliative care is available for patients of all ages, including children with serious illnesses. Pediatric palliative care provides specialised support for young patients and their families, addressing their unique physical, emotional, and developmental needs.
Only Doctors Can Provide Palliative Care
Palliative care involves a team of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, care and support workers, physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists and social workers. This multidisciplinary approach ensures that all aspects of a patient’s needs are addressed comprehensively.
By dispelling these misconceptions, we can better understand the valuable role that palliative care plays in supporting patients and families through serious illnesses. It is a compassionate, holistic approach that focuses on enhancing quality of life and providing much-needed relief from the burdens of illness.
Navigating Access and Costs
Accessing palliative care services is a critical step in ensuring that individuals facing serious illnesses receive the comprehensive support they need. This journey often begins with a crucial conversation and involves several key steps:
- Starting the Conversation: The first step to accessing palliative care is having a conversation with your or your loved one’s healthcare provider. This discussion can help to:
- Identify the need for palliative care
- Understand the potential benefits it can offer
- Begin the referral process for palliative care services
- Getting a Referral: Most palliative care services require a referral from a healthcare provider. This referral is based on:
- A comprehensive assessment of the patient’s health status
- An understanding of the patient’s and family’s needs and goals of care
- Creating a Personalised Care Plan: Once referred, the palliative care team will work with the patient and their family to create a personalised care plan. This plan typically includes:
- Management of pain and other symptoms
- Emotional and spiritual support services
- Coordination with other healthcare providers to ensure a holistic approach to care
Understanding the financial aspects of palliative care is equally important for making informed decisions:
- Costs of Palliative Care: The costs associated with palliative care can vary widely depending on the:
- Types of services provided
- Duration of care
- Location where care is provided (e.g., at home or in a hospital)
- Funding body and/or Insurance funding: It’s crucial to explore what aspects of palliative care are covered by your funding body. This may include:
- Medical treatments and consultations
- Medication for symptom management
- Home care services
- It’s important to check for specific coverage details, including any potential out-of-pocket costs. At Vital, we advocate and streamline this process to ensure you receive the best care you are eligible for.
By understanding these key elements, families can make more informed decisions about palliative care, ensuring their loved ones receive the compassionate and comprehensive support they need.
How to Choose Palliative Care
Selecting the right palliative care provider is a critical step for ensuring quality care. Make sure that your provider has the experience and expertise needed in providing the best care possible. Look for providers who specialise in palliative care and have a strong track record of compassionate, patient-centered service
At Vital Home Health, we understand that arranging palliative care can seem daunting, but we aim to make it easy. If you or a loved one are considering palliative care support services, we encourage you to explore our approach. Discover how our dedicated team can support you by visiting our palliative care services page, where we commit to providing compassionate and comprehensive care tailored to your needs.
References:
Different types of palliative care (2024) Helping Hands Home Care. Available at: https://www.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk/home-care-services/fast-track-palliative-care/types-palliative-care/ (Accessed: 16 May 2024).
Winkler, W. (ed.) (2023) Understanding Palliative Care: A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends. Sydney, NSW: Cancer Council Australia. Available at: https://www.cancer.org.au/assets/pdf/understanding-palliative-care-booklet (Accessed: 16 May 2024).
