If you are facing a serious illness and have asked for palliative care, you may be wondering what the first meeting will be like. Here are five things you can expect.
Are you or a loved one living with a serious illness? Palliative Care can help. Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on relieving the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage, and you can have it along with curative treatment. The goal is to improve your quality of life.
Four “C”s Can Help You Understand Palliative Care
Many people living with a serious illness miss out on getting palliative care because they don’t know about it and how it works. Palliative care is specialized medical care that treats the symptoms and stress of serious illness. Palliative care treats any serious illness, but the most common ones are cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Understanding the following four “C”s can help you and your family talk to your doctor and ask for palliative care. … Read More
Talking about Sexuality and Intimacy When You’re Living with a Serious Illness
People living with a serious illness often have questions and concerns about sexuality and intimacy. But intimacy and sexuality aren’t always noticed by the people who treat you. Discussing how your illness has affected your relationships may help you open the door to the conversation if your health care team doesn’t bring it up first. … Read More
How Palliative Care Can Help People with Alzheimer’s Disease and their Families
Palliative care can provide many benefits to people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, and their caregivers.
“Palliative care is an opportunity for you and your loved one to get a helping hand and make it easier for both of you,” says Doris Phildor, Health Systems Director at the Alzheimer’s Association in New York City. … Read More
Managing Shortness of Breath to Improve Your Quality of Life
Shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms for people living with a serious illness. It can be caused by asthma, cancer, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, or other conditions. Struggling for air can be exhausting and frightening for you and for your caregivers. A palliative care team can help. Palliative care is available at any stage of your disease and the earlier you get it, the better. … Read More
Taking Five or More Prescription Medicines
Taking five or more prescription medicines (called polypharmacy) is more common than most people realize. Research shows that it is very common among older adults. Usually, this is because the person has several chronic conditions. That’s why health care providers tend to add medicines. The problem? The chances of a poor outcome go up the more medicines you take. Palliative care doctors can make a difference. … Read More
Dan’s Palliative Care Story
Dan is a former palliative care nurse practitioner, avid hunter, and cyclist who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at age 47. Dan received palliative care early in his diagnosis. … Read More
Palliative Care Helps You Live with Colorectal Cancer
By Andrew Esch, MD
If you have colorectal cancer, you know that your pain, symptoms, and the side effects of treatments can take a toll on your quality of life. Therefore, they can stop you from doing the things that are important to you. They can also lead to unwanted hospital stays. But palliative care can help. … Read More
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