What is palliative care?
Palliative care is a type of health care for patients and families of patients facing a life-limiting illness. It is a 24/7 continuous support and care program tailored for both patients and families which helps patients achieve the best quality of life until the end of their life. Service providers for palliative care may include: doctors, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), occupational therapists (OTs), physiotherapists (PTs), registered nurses (RNs), respiratory therapists, social workers, and caregivers / care aides. Healthcare professionals work together in a team to provide a multidisciplinary approach to patients. This includes administration of medications, day-to-day care, managing equipment and more.
Palliative care can be accessed in several ways, including:
- Home care programs: provide palliative care services at home. Services include professional nursing care and caregivers specializing with in home care.
- Private companies: offer extra help when needed including part-time and around-the-clock care. Services include: nursing/medical care, personal care, cleaning, cooking, companionship and transportation.
- Hospice volunteers: hospice volunteer support is often offered by several provincial hospice associations. Volunteers go through a careful screening and education process where they are trained to provide emotional, spiritual and practical support to individuals and families. Once matched with a family, support is available through phone calls or in-person visits.
- Palliative care programs: there are palliative care programs which offer in-home visits from nurses or doctors as well as telephone advice on managing pain and other symptoms.
To be eligible for palliative care, an adult must be diagnosed with a life-threatening illness where no further curative treatment options are available. Often, there is a high risk of mortality. The patient and the family should agree to receive a palliative approach to care. In addition, the patient may be not interested or not eligible to receive formal hospice services.
In Canada and internationally, quality palliative care:
- Puts great emphasis on the concerns of patients and their families
- Monitors symptoms such as pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and confusion
- Considers emotional and spiritual concerns of patients and families
- Respects and supports patient dignity at all times
- Respects social and cultural needs of patients and families
Palliative care doesn’t have to end when a loved one reaches the end of their life. Palliative care can provide support after death to grieving family members to help manage the stresses and strains of losing a loved one.
Palliative home care:
Often, people want to remain at home until death in order to be surrounded by family & loved ones. If this is the patient’s wish, palliative home care services will work with the patient and the family to make arrangements. Palliative home care focuses on comfort care, where pain is controlled rather than caring to cure an illness. The family doctor will be involved in providing end of life care at the home. Palliative home care services include nursing (eg. dressing changes, catheter care, and intravenous therapy) and home support (eg. personal care, respite, and housekeeping). In addition, the palliative home care team will ensure that the patient’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual care needs are met. The personal cultural and faith values of the patient and the families are to be respected at all times.