A Care Plan That Puts You First: How Palliative Care Supports Your Goals
When you’re living with a serious illness, it can feel like everything is happening at once—new symptoms, medications, side effects, tons of doctor appointments, paperwork, and big questions about what comes next. You might have gotten different advice from multiple doctors. Or maybe you’re not sure who to call when something goes wrong.
That’s where palliative care comes in. One of the most important things a palliative care team does is develop a clear, individualized care plan that reflects your needs, preferences, and goals.
But First, What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness—to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is provided by a specially trained team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other specialists who work together with your other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided alongside curative treatments.
What’s a Care Plan, and Why Does It Matter?
When working with a palliative care team, a care plan is a detailed, personalized roadmap that addresses your physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. It’s developed with you and your loved ones, and written and managed by your care team. The goal is to make sure that everyone—including you, your loved ones, and your other health care providers—knows what matters most to you and how to support you through your serious illness.
Care plans guide your care in a way that works for you.
What’s Included in a Care Plan?
A care plan goes far beyond just listing medications or upcoming appointments. It’s a clear summary of what’s happening with your care, what’s important to you, and the support that is in place to help. It may include:
- A visit summary, including your symptoms or concerns, and any findings from your appointment
- Your goals of care, which may be short-term goals (like managing your pain well enough to attend a graduation ceremony) or longer-term goals (like staying strong for more chemotherapy)
- A list of current symptoms and challenges, such as nausea, anxiety, or caregiver burnout. This list would provide details about:
- The plan to address each item (e.g., therapy for anxiety)
- How often or when to follow up (e.g., frequency of therapy and when you’ll discuss it next)
- Which doctor is responsible and how to contact them if something goes wrong (e.g., who is managing the anxiety and what is the best way to get in touch in the case of an emergency)
- Any anticipated barriers or gaps that would prevent you from receiving care, such as access to transportation, medication costs, or cultural or spiritual concerns—and any ideas/plans to address them
- Relevant educational resources, which your care team may share for you to read on your own time, including recommendations to specific websites, like GetPalliativeCare.org, disease-specific or patient advocacy organizations.
- Clear instructions for follow-up, including who to call and when, and what to do if there’s an urgent problem (should you go to the hospital or call a specific doctor after hours?)
You Deserve a Plan That Works for You
Many patients and families find that care plans help them feel less overwhelmed—and leave them with peace of mind. While you can’t plan for everything, care plans help you know what to do if something unexpected comes up—so you’re not left navigating it all on your own.
With serious illness comes a lot of uncertainty. But with palliative care, you don’t have to go through it alone. Your team will help develop a care plan that’s based on your needs—so you can feel more in control and supported as you navigate your serious illness.
About GetPalliativeCare.org
GetPalliativeCare.org is an online resource for patients and families that focuses on providing information on palliative care from the point of diagnosis. For more information about palliative care and to see if it’s right for you, visit GetPalliativeCare.org.
The site is provided by the Center to Advance Palliative Care.
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