Get Palliative Blog

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

Explore palliative care, and follow the experience of Joyce Jann and her family, as they work with the palliative care team at Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, Florida.

A landmark study on the integration of palliative care during early onset of a cancer diagnosis was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Jim Windhorst, a stage IV lung cancer patient, describes how palliative care helped him cope with his illness.

Jim Windhorst, palliative care patient at Massachusetts General Hospital, talks about the acupuncture, physical therapy and other therapies that helps him live with lung cancer.

Chasing the Tiger—a video adaptation of Gail Sheehy’s new play. Having acted as her husband’s caregiver for 17 years, Gail Sheehy—who has chronicled every major turning point for 20th-century Americans—understands firsthand the fears and frustrations of family caregiving, and offers help.

Diane Meier, MD, FACP
Director, Center to Advance Palliative Care
Mount Sinai School of Medicine

R. Sean Morrison, MD
Director, National Palliative Care Research Center
Mount Sinai School of  Medicine

Palliative care in the hospital treats anyone with serious, complex illness. See what it does and how it works.

Diane Meier, MD, FACP
Director, Center to Advance Palliative Care
Mount Sinai School of Medicine