¿Estás considerando cuidados paliativos? Cuatro maneras sencillas de empezar
Si usted o un ser querido padece una enfermedad grave, es posible que busque atención que le ayude a aliviar los síntomas, mejorar su calidad de vida y brindarle apoyo a usted y a su familia. Los cuidados paliativos ofrecen eso y mucho más.
Los cuidados paliativos son atención médica especializada que se centra en aliviar los síntomas y el estrés de una enfermedad grave, independientemente del diagnóstico o la etapa de la enfermedad. El objetivo es mejorar la calidad de vida tanto del paciente como de su familia.
Pero, ¿cómo saber si los cuidados paliativos son necesarios? adecuado para usted¿Y tú cómo? encontrar un proveedor ¿Cerca de ti? Aquí tienes algunos consejos para empezar.
1. Talk to Your Doctor and Ask for a Referral
Start by speaking with your doctor, as they’ll be the one to refer you to palliative care. This would be the doctor, such as an oncologist, cardiologist, or neurologist, who diagnosed your serious illness. If they haven’t mentioned palliative care on their own, it’s okay to bring it up and ask if palliative care can help you manage symptoms or improve your quality of life—and ask for a referral.
Tip: If you’re unsure if palliative care is right for you, you can take a quick 5-question quiz about your symptoms, diagnosis, and support needs. Based on your answers, the quiz will determine whether palliative care can help. Remember, you can receive palliative care at any point of your illness.
2. Find a Palliative Care Provider
Once you and your doctor determine if palliative care is right for you, it’s time to find a palliative care provider in your area. If you’re admitted to the hospital, your doctor will ask the hospital’s palliative care team to visit you. If you’re living at home or another place within the community, your doctor will refer you to a palliative care doctor they trust.
If your doctor doesn’t have someone in mind, they can check out the Directorio de proveedores de cuidados paliativos on GetPalliativeCare.org. This directory is searchable by ZIP code and care setting (whether it’s a hospital, office/clinic, home, or nursing home), and includes palliative care programs that have listed themselves.
3. Schedule an Appointment
Once your doctor has a palliative care doctor in mind, they’ll give you a referral. You can go ahead and schedule an appointment and encourage your loved ones to attend. (Palliative care can help them, too!).
Just like any other doctor’s appointment, confirm they’re in-network for you. Since palliative care is a medical subspecialty, it is paid for like any other (such as cardiology). Most insurance covers it, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance.
4. Prepare For and Attend Your Appointment
You can expect the palliative care team to spend a lot of time getting to know you and your loved ones during the first visit. Not only will they assess your pain levels and other symptoms, but they’ll ask questions and discuss and explain your treatment options. Most importantly, they’ll ask you about goals so that they can develop a plan de atención that works best for you. You have time to ask as many questions as you’d like. (Here’s a lista de preguntas frecuentes to get you started!)
We hope that palliative care gives you the extra layer of support that you may feel has been missing all along. Palliative care has helped countless patients and families. With the right support, we know it will help you too!
Acerca de GetPalliativeCare.org
ObtengaCuidadosPaliativos.org es un recurso en línea para pacientes y familias que se centra en brindar información sobre cuidados paliativos desde el punto de diagnóstico. Para obtener más información sobre cuidados paliativos y Vea si es adecuado para usted, visita ObtengaCuidadosPaliativos.org.
ES 
EN