FINAL PLANNING
What You Should Know about Palliative Care PALLIATIVE CARE is supportive care for people with life-limiting illnesses who are not eligible or not ready for hospice care. Its goal is to ease the physical, emotional and mental suffering that can occur in people with a serious illness. Palliative care: • can be given at any time during a serious illness, even while you are receiving curative care • provides comfort and enhances quality of life • is supportive care for people with a serious illness • uses a team-oriented approach that includes a physician, nurse practitioner and potentially a nurse and social worker • can be provided in the home, assisted living, nursing facility, medical office or hospital • providers collaborate closely with your other medical providers to ensure cohesive care • can ease symptoms such as pain, nausea, anxiety, depression, constipation, insomnia and fatigue • provides supportive care for a variety of diagnoses, including cancer; dementia; heart, lung and kidney diseases; Parkinson’s; stroke • can help you understand treatment options • can help customize your advance care planning to align with your values • focuses on your goals of care and wishes • does not replace primary care, other specialty care, or other services such as home health • does not interfere with other disease-directed care, such as chemotherapy or dialysis • is paid for by Medicare, Medicaid and other commercial insurance • studies show that palliative care can extend life while improving quality of life Sponsored by: See ad on page 32B
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