Tag: serious illness

Kat Harrison of Dayton, OH has never been the type to sit around. As a former softball player and as a hard-working professional who often balanced multiple jobs, she has always been on the move. And luckily for her, she’s a frequent babysitter to four rambunctious grandchildren. As a result, she can often be found running around trying to keep things under control. She doesn’t mind.

“Oh my gosh, what isn’t there to like about being a grandmother? You see, being a parent is great, but being a grandparent is even better because you can be there for them and play with them, but then you get to send them back home and get some rest,” says Kat through laughter. … Read More

When you or a loved one is facing a serious illness, there can be a lot of choices to make. You may have to make a decision on what hospital to go to for your care. Sometimes there are different options to choose from to treat your illness. Then there are questions like, “Should I continue working while my illness is being treated?” or “Should I go on vacation or stay home to rest?”

Luckily, there are medical professionals available to help you make the decisions that fit your priorities and goals. They are called palliative care specialists.

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illness. It gives you, your family and doctors an extra layer of support. It will treat your pain and other symptoms. It will help you understand your treatment options. And it will help you cope with the everyday challenges of living with a serious illness. Palliative care specialists will also work with you to tackle the tough decisions. They put you and your family in the driver’s seat. … Read More

Palliative care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is specialized medical care for people with serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. While palliative care can help you at any age and at any stage of your illness, research shows that getting palliative care right away when facing an illness can make a positive difference. … Read More

If you have been diagnosed with Eosinophil-Associated Disease (EAD), you may already be dealing with difficult physical symptoms as well as uncertainty about how the illness might affect your well-being. Pain and stress can be major barriers to continuing to live a fulfilling life. Palliative care is a medical specialty designed to help you with these obstacles right now.

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We all have those things we love doing. Whether it’s spending time with loved ones, hobbies like cooking or dancing, or taking trips to new places. These are the things that define who we are and bring us joy. When you’re facing a serious illness and dealing with pain or anxiety as a result, doing the things you love to do can be much more challenging.

That’s where palliative care comes in. … Read More

Ever since 74-year-old Joyce Montgomery of Atlanta, Georgia was diagnosed with liposarcoma—a rare form of cancer that arises in the fat cells of soft tissue—she’s faced major decisions about her treatment. As her illness has progressed, she has also struggled with anxiety and physical symptoms from her disease and treatment. Through it all, Joyce has had one mission: to keep doing the things she loves for the people she loves.

This is Joyce’s Palliative Care Story. … Read More

In our previous blog post we noted how a recent study found that early palliative care improves quality of life, reduces depression, and improves satisfaction with care.

First, it’s very important to understand exactly what palliative care is. Palliative care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is specialized medical care for people with serious illness. It provides relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care teams work with your other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. And, you don’t have to wait to get it.

But how does palliative care specifically support patients and their families at diagnosis? … Read More

If you or a loved one has just been diagnosed with a serious illness—like cancer, heart disease, dementia, ALS or others—palliative care can help you right away. … Read More