Articles & Stories

Many patients facing serious illness suffer from extremely distressing symptoms. Sometimes the only way to provide relief is through sedation. Learn answers to some of the most basic and commonly asked questions.

Q: What is Palliative Sedation?

A: Palliative sedation is a way to minimize pain in seriously ill patients that cannot be relieved in any other way. An infusion of a sedating drug is provided to a point where the person appears to be comfortable and the distressing symptoms are relieved. … Read More

Quality of life issues are getting such focus in medicine these days that it’s easy to assume things were always this way. They weren’t. Patient-centered care was uncommon in most hospital settings even a decade ago.  In the final part of my interview with Dr. Diane Meier, we talk further about the role of palliative care in medicine both now and in the future.
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The mere mention of “Morphine” can be enough to conjure up all sorts of negative thoughts in patients and their family members. Some people may be afraid of becoming a drug addict while others may think that only people who are ready to die should take Morphine. Doctors, too, can be afraid of using Morphine (and similar drugs), largely due to misinformation and lack of training. … Read More

The term Quality of Life is often used at a time when patients, families and health care professionals are trying to understand the impact of a serious illness. … Read More

What if you suffered a traumatic head injury or a heart attack and ended up in a hospital intensive care unit with little hope of regaining your former way of life or even the ability to communicate with your loved ones? What kind of medical treatments would you choose for yourself? Would you want aggressive medical intervention?

Obviously, these are situations most people would rather not contemplate while they are healthy. And yet a number of high-profile legal cases have recently arisen from such circumstances. These ethical conflicts and controversies of end-of-life care underscore how difficult it can be for families and medical professionals to make life-and-death decisions for people who are no longer physically able to speak for themselves. … Read More

When Helen’s mother had a stroke in 1994, Helen became her caregiver. Working full-time as a teacher and living an hour’s drive from her mother, each visit takes at least half a day.

Fortunately, Helen’s mom’s stroke left few physical side effects, so she was able to remain independent for awhile. Even so, she still needed someone to help her be more attentive to her blood pressure and the rest of her medical care. … Read More

Does someone you love have a serious illness? If so, you are one of the millions of Americans caring for a sick family member. You may be just checking in and picking up the groceries, or you may be taking care of your loved one around the clock. It’s never easy. Palliative care can help. … Read More

Questions about whether or not to provide artificial nutrition and hydration (AHN) are some of the most common-and most distressing-for caregivers. When a family member becomes ill and can no longer eat, families are often faced with a difficult decision about whether or not they should provide artificial nutrition to their loved one. … Read More