5 Ways Pallative Care Improves Quality Of Life

As you or your loved one’s specific medical condition changes, knowing your options can help you feel more confident about adjusting your care plan. Whether you’re dealing with a grueling form of curative treatment or are just going through a tough spot managing your chronic illness, palliative care can help you.

But first, what is palliative care?

Think of it this way: palliative care is simply symptom management for seriously ill people. When someone is in palliative care, it means they are getting professional help to live more comfortably in spite of their serious illness. Palliative care can turn into hospice for a terminally ill patient. It can also be part of a multifaceted care plan to manage, treat, and cure a serious illness.

No matter what stage or type of serious medical condition you’re dealing with, palliative care can provide much-needed support. Having access to quality palliative care gives people a sense of power and control over their condition, making them better equipped to manage their illness.

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Who Benefits From Palliative Care?

Palliative care is available to anyone with a serious illness regardless of age, treatment options, or stage of disease. Some conditions that may benefit from palliative care include congestive heart failure, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Anyone at any stage of their disease and treatment can receive palliative care, especially if they are feeling any of the following:

• Struggling with pain and symptom relief
• Exhausted by repeated hospital and ER visits
• Your family needs extra professional support while caring for you
• You are ambivalent about treatment options and need guidance

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What Is the Goal of Palliative Care?

It’s important to keep in mind that palliative care is not meant to cure an illness, but rather to provide relief from symptoms. The goal of palliative care is to allow the patient to live life with dignity and as much comfort as possible.

Palliative care is designed to help you navigate through treatment options in the most comfortable way possible. Ultimately, palliative care helps the patient to take back control over their health and situation, empowering them to make choices that will help improve their quality of life.

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5 Ways Palliative Care Improves Quality of Life

What is included in palliative care? It involves physical, emotional, and spiritual support from a team of healthcare professionals who work together to create an individualized plan for the patient. Palliative care also helps provide comfort for the family as they go through this difficult time with their loved ones.

Your palliative care team can consist of a variety of staff members such as doctors, nurses, social workers, therapists, nutritionists, and chaplains. This capable team of professionals helps ensure the patient's quality of life is being considered at every step. Here are just a few of the ways palliative care can improve quality of life:

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1. Symptom Relief

Regardless of your curative treatment choices, a palliative team works to identify the most troubling symptoms affecting you or your loved one. Symptom relief can ease any pain, nausea, chemotherapy, depression, loss of appetite, poor sleep, or any other distressing consequences of the illness.

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2. Decision Support

Making decisions about medical care can be difficult and overwhelming when you're dealing with a serious illness. Palliative care can help you understand all available treatment options and their associated risks. This way, you can make the best decision for your situation.

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3. Psychological Support

Your palliative team can provide psychological support to help you and your family cope with the emotional effects of living with a serious illness. This support includes helping identify mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. Palliative care also includes counseling, support groups, and other forms of therapy.

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4. Emotional and Spiritual Support

Many chronic medical conditions cause fear, anxiety, depression, and confusion. When a person undergoes any heavy form of medical treatment with multiple appointments and procedures, it can be easy to feel defeated by your body’s continued inability to snap back to health. This is where a palliative care team can really step in to help.

Therapists and counselors can offer an ear and advice when you feel emotionally worn down. And if you have any spiritual questions, interfaith chaplains can help. This type of care can also be extended to caregivers who may feel the stress of watching a loved one with a chronic medical illness.

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5. Coordination of Care

As a patient receiving palliative care, you continue to keep your regular doctors. Social workers can help advocate for any particular treatment options you need and coordinate care. This takes the pressure of making appointments off your shoulders so you can focus on what’s really important. The palliative care team can refer you to valuable community resources, such as medical supply stores, peer support groups, financial assistance, or caregiver support.

And if hospice care feels like the next step, the palliative care team can help you and your family make that important transition.

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Is Palliative Care The Same as Hospice?

When it comes to non-curative treatment, palliative care and hospice are similar. Many of the same staff members on a palliative care team can be on a hospice team. The main differences are timing and cost.

Hospice is specifically for patients who have a terminal illness with a six-month prognosis. Palliative care, on the other hand, can be provided to any patient at any stage of a serious illness. It can be used from diagnosis and throughout treatment. Additionally, palliative care is not as clearly designated as an insurance benefit, so patients may need to provide co-pays for particular treatments.

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Is Palliative Care Considered End-of-Life Care?

Palliative care is not limited to end-of-life care. It can be received at any stage of a serious illness. That said, palliative care is often discussed in terms of end-of-life care. This is because it’s designed to provide comfort and relief from pain and symptoms that come with a serious illness, no matter how far along the patient may be.

But while hospice patients are expected to have six months or less to live, palliative care doesn’t focus on a timeline. It can accompany curative treatments and even extend past the point of curing the condition, if needed.

Ultimately, it is up to you and your healthcare team to decide how long you will receive palliative care services. It is also possible to transition from palliative care to hospice if that becomes necessary.

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Who Pays for Palliative Care?

Unfortunately, because of the rightfully fluid and flexible application of palliative care, some insurance plans have not defined its coverage. The answer is that many times, both the patient and the insurance may end up paying for some portions.  That said, palliative care is paid for in the following ways:

• Most private insurance plans cover palliative care. However, there could be co-pays, so check with your insurance company to verify coverage.‍
• Medicare part A covers inpatient and skilled nursing palliative care. Medicare part B covers diagnosis, treatment, durable medical equipment, rehabilitation services, and emotional support. If you have a prescription plan (part D), it will pay for most medications related to your care.
• Medicare Advantage Plans offer the same coverage as traditional Medicare and any medications.

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Where Can You Receive Palliative Care?

Palliative care tends to be provided within a short hospital stay or throughout a curative treatment plan. However, many teams and clinics are evolving to meet patient needs. No matter where you call home, palliative care can come to you. You can receive care at home, in the hospital, in assisted living, in the emergency room, or in a clinic.

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What is Palliative Care at Home?

Palliative care at home is similar to in-patient palliative care, but it’s offered in the patient’s own home. When palliative care is provided at home, it can allow for more personalized care in a more natural setting for the patient. It also offers an opportunity for family members to be part of the care plan and provide support.

Home visits can be scheduled as needed, or on a regular basis. And to ensure all needs are being met, the team can provide education and resources to the entire family. Home health teams can also provide symptom management and emotional support while family members or caregivers help with day-to-day tasks, such as eating, bathing, dressing, and administering medications.

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When Should Someone Be Offered Palliative Care?

No matter where you are on your path toward being illness-free, you can ask about palliative care options. Receiving curative treatment doesn’t have to be a complete slog; many professionals can help you and your loved ones get the right support for mitigating any pains you may have. If you are unsure about whether or not palliative care is right for your journey, discuss it with your doctor.

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How to Start Palliative Care

When embarking on your path toward curing a serious illness, it can be easy to focus on the treatment options that minimize recurrence or extend your lifespan. However, as a patient, it is also important to be vocal about what can ease or simplify your care journey. Physicians can guide your care, but they also need to know how to best tailor it to your emotional, spiritual, and physical needs.

Sometimes it's as simple as asking for a physician’s referral to a palliative care department. Other times it requires a bit more work to connect the seemingly disparate parts of your non-curative treatment. But don’t give up, as you can definitely qualify for palliative care if you need it. Take these steps to get palliative care started:

1. Tell your primary doctor you are thinking about palliative care and ask for options within your chosen hospital or clinic.
2. Talk openly with your treating physician about the status of your illness and available non-curative treatment options.
3. Explain to your doctor what quality of life means to you and your family. Think ahead of time and come prepared with any specifics you value most.
4. Ask for a palliative care referral if your doctor is not a palliative care specialist. Some physicians are also palliative care certified.

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Ultimately, palliative care can be a beneficial complement to any serious illness treatment plan. It doesn’t replace curative treatments, but it does offer patients and their families comfort and support in many ways. It also helps to ensure that the patient can experience life as fully as possible as they go through their treatment.

At Guaranteed Hospice, we provide top-notch palliative care services that are tailored to meet your personal needs. With a team of knowledgeable and compassionate professionals, we are dedicated to helping improve your quality of life so you can focus on what matters most. To learn more about palliative care and how it can help you, contact us today.