Palliative Care is supportive care for people living with serious illness. We provide an extra layer of support for the patient and their family/caregiver(s). Palliative Care is appropriate for any age and any stage of a serious illness. We work closely with your physicians in the management of your care, no matter what type of treatments you may be receiving. Most clinicians appreciate the extra time and information that St. Anthony’s Palliative Care provides to our patients.
Palliative Care focuses on providing relief of the symptoms and stresses that a patient and their family experience with a serious illness. In addition, we provide education to help our patient understand their disease process, treatment options and develop goals of care. St. Anthony’s Palliative Care is provided in the patient’s home, apartment, assisted living facility, and select skilled nursing facilities.
Palliative Care Services Typically Include:
- Supportive visits providing an ongoing assessment of the patient’s status.
- Education about illness progression, management, and strategies for living with advanced illness.
- Pain and symptom management.
- Encouraging active healthcare decision-making and providing information on advance care planning.
- Clarification of personal and family goals, as well as communication and coordination with all of the patient’s providers.
- Medication management as directed by the patient’s primary care provider.
- Emotional, psychological, and spiritual support as well as assistance with complex decision-making.
- Help identifying other community resources as needed.
Palliative Care isn’t hospice care, but hospice care is palliative care. Simply put, palliative care is comfort care and hospice care is all about comfort when curing is no longer an option. Palliative care is available to you at any stage of a serious illness, while hospice care is available when a cure is no longer attainable. You can receive palliative care while receiving curative and/or aggressive treatments.
Both palliative and hospice care are important when diagnosed with a serious illness. Let St. Anthony’s help manage symptoms and allow you or a loved one to live the highest quality of life!
If you have any questions about Hospice Care or Palliative Care or want to see if you or a loved one qualify, call us at (270) 826-2326 or make an online referral here.
