PALLIATIVE CARE

Palliative care is a type of specialized medicine that focuses on intensive symptom management and supportive care to improve a patient's quality of life. Palliative care is provided to the patient by a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, and chaplains who participate in the patient's care. Palliative care providers treat patients with chronic, life limiting illnesses, at any stage of the illness. The goal of palliative care is to improve a patient's comfort and quality of life as well as reducing the patient's hospitalizations. Palliative care includes addressing a patient’s symptoms as well as administrating treatment intended to cure serious illnesses, when applicable. Palliative care provides peace of mind for the patient and his/her family.

Patients who are experiencing symptoms such as pain, constipation, shortness of breath, insomnia, confusion, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, side effects from chemotherapy and radiation therapy, heart failure, renal failure, COPD, cancer, dementia Parkinson’s disease, etc., should benefit from palliative care. Patients may also be referred to palliative care as a result from multiple hospitalizations, stressors related to the patient’s symptoms or condition, or uncertainty of disease progression.

Additionally, the palliative care provider works with the patient and his/her family to establish goals of care and advance care planning. For example, if the patient does not have a medical directive in place, a nurse practitioner will help to establish an Advance Directive, Living Will, or DNR.

Patients do not need a physician's referral to qualify for palliative care. If palliative care is of interest to you, contact a palliative care agency regarding an assessment to determine if you qualify for services. For those individuals who do qualify, these services are covered by Medicare Part B, Medicaid, and private insurance plans.

Many people have the misconception that palliative care means hospice care. If the patient’s illness approaches the end-of-life, the palliative care provider can assist with the transition to hospice care. Palliative care, however, assists patients living with a serious illness by complementing the care the patient receives from the patient’s primary care physician and specialists. The palliative care providers will communicate with the patient’s physicians and keep them updated on the plan of care. Services are performed where the patient resides whether it be at home or at a facility. Patients may utilize home health services in conjunction with palliative care.

The cost of a visit from medical personnel may be the same as your co- payment at your doctor’s office or there may be no co-payment required. Phone calls to your palliative care agency/staff do not require a copayment.

Senior Law Solutions, LLC offers a variety of opportunities to assist individuals and their families with aspects of Elder Law Care, Estate Planning, and Life Care Planning with individualized plans. If you have questions or want to learn more visit www.seniorls.com or call 334.758.9400