When a patient has an advanced or chronic illness they may have symptoms or pain that their current treatment is not addressing. The focus of palliative care is to compliment the patient’s current treatment in order to alleviate these symptoms and pain to enhance their quality of life. Not only does palliative care provide symptom management for those with a complex illness, but it also provides emotional and psycho-social support for their families and caregivers.

Palliative care is comprehensive care for patients of all ages. Palliative care is personalized and provided wherever the patient is, whether that is a private residence, facility or hospital.

Beyond providing comfort care and addressing the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families, our palliative care team can help families plan for the future to relieve stress and uncertainty. Care can include discussions about future care wishes and desires, including discussing advance directives.

To be eligible for palliative care under medicare guidelines, a patient could have a life expectancy that is greater than 6 months. If life expectancy is less than 6 months, then hospice care should be considered. A patient may be receiving curative treatment or therapies while they receive palliative care, and desire palliative care to address pain or unmanaged pain.