St. Anthony’s began offering Palliative Care in 2016 as a pilot program. Since then the most frequently asked question about the program is “Is this hospice care?” The answer is simple, No.
Palliative Care is specialized care for individuals living with a serious or chronic illness. Our care focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain and stresses a serious illness can bring. Our goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Plus, it can be provided along with curative treatment, including home health.
Our Palliative Care team is comprised of a nurse practitioner, registered nurse and a social worker. Together they help educate our patients about their disease, their diagnosis, and treatment options. Our team helps identify sources of pain and discomfort and work with a patients’ physician to help control your symptoms.
In addition to medical information, our team helps with decision-making. We help the patient communicate what their goals are. We help facility discussions with the patient and family to help patients make decisions about the care they receive if they are unable to speak for themselves.
If you think you or a loved one would benefit from Palliative Care, call 270-826-2326 to set up a consultation.
