Palliative care, also known as “supportive care”, is a type of patient and family-centered care for individuals with chronic illnesses. The focus of palliative care is to maximize the quality of life, minimize pain and unwanted symptoms, and allow the care recipient to live according to their values. This is different than hospice care, or “comfort care”, which is for individuals nearing the end of their life with a prognosis of fewer than six months.

Understanding who provides palliative care and who is appropriate to receive palliative care is essential when deciding if this type of care is suitable for you or your loved one. 

Check out the Trualta library for more resources on palliative care, hospice, and other topics related to caregiving. Use this link to find out if you have free access. 

The Role Of Palliative Care 

Palliative care takes a holistic approach to care, considering the patient and family’s values and goals while they’re receiving treatment for their chronic condition or terminal illness. 

Palliative care services can provide many supports to patients and families with life-limiting illnesses, including: 

• Symptom control and pain management
• Family and caregiver education on the current condition and treatment options
• Safe mobility training on medical equipment to help prevent falls at home
• Coping strategies and grief support for the care recipient and families
• Social support like community resources and support groups
• Advance care planning for the patient’s treatment and end-of-life goals
• Spiritual care and support via the palliative care chaplain or spiritual advisor

The Palliative Care Team 

A palliative care team is a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals that work together to put the patient’s wants, needs, and values first. Each provider has a specific skill set that can help address the patient’s concerns and needs. There are many members of the palliative care team, including: 

• Doctors
• Nurses 
• Physical and occupational therapists
• Social workers
• Spiritual advisors 
• Psychologists and psychiatrists 
• Pharmacists
• Music therapists 

Conditions Appropriate For Palliative Care

There are many diagnoses and chronic conditions that are appropriate for a palliative care consult, with examples including: 

• Dementia and Alzheimer’s
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Parkinson’s disease 
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Multiple sclerosis
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Progressed liver or kidney disease
• Heart failure 
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Huntington’s disease

This is not an exhaustive list. An individual who has one of these conditions or another chronic, life-limiting condition may benefit from meeting with and talking to the palliative care team. 

When Should Palliative Care Be Considered?

Palliative care services can be initiated at any point during the patient’s health journey, including soon after diagnosis. Any individual with a chronic illness can request to meet with the palliative care team to determine if palliative care services would be beneficial. 

Some individuals may want to invite palliative care providers on board right as they’re diagnosed with their condition, while others may be hesitant and want to wait. There are key indicators that it may be time to request a palliative care consult which we’ll explore below. 

The Condition Has Progressed

When the life-limiting condition has progressed to the point of affecting the care recipient’s physical and psychological health, it’s time to see a palliative care specialist. This may mean the condition affects the individual’s ability to move, eat, or sleep. 

For example, if an individual with pulmonary disease is on a significant amount of oxygen and has difficulty standing, walking, and completing their daily tasks, the palliative care team should be consulted. They can weigh in on treatment options and the next steps in care. 

Difficult To Manage Unwanted Symptoms 

A primary focus of palliative care providers is to help mitigate the unwanted symptoms associated with a chronic condition or the side effects of the treatments someone is receiving for their condition. No one wants to experience significant pain, nausea, or fatigue when they’re trying to live their lives. Palliative care providers can help. 

If the person you care for is persistently experiencing any of the following over the span of many weeks or months, a palliative care referral may be helpful: 

• Significant pain 
• Persistent nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness 
• Loss of appetite or sleep 

The palliative care team can work together to help manage these symptoms and make recommendations that may help alleviate them. 

For example, if a patient has stage 3 breast cancer and is receiving chemotherapy and radiation that is causing persistent fatigue, nausea, and lack of appetite, the palliative care team can help. Doctors from the palliative care team may be able to recommend anti-nausea medications, and a palliative care dietician could work with the care recipient to problem-solve with the patient to ensure they’re getting proper nutrition. 

Frequent Hospitalizations 

When a chronic condition is causing frequent hospitalizations and trips to the emergency room, it may be a good idea to consult with the palliative care team. The palliative care doctors can help make recommendations to manage the symptoms, so the care recipient can stay home and avoid another hospital visit. 

For example, if a patient with progressed heart failure has had multiple visits to the hospital due to shortness of breath and increased leg edema, a palliative care provider can help ensure the patient is safely taking the correct medications and managing their heart failure symptoms to keep them safe and out of the hospital. 

Significant Stress On Caregivers & Family

It can be challenging and stressful to watch the person you love suffer from a chronic condition. Palliative care services can provide emotional support, resources, and education to help a caregiver or family member cope and learn how to best help their loved one. 

When a condition has progressed, people may have difficulty moving around, completing daily tasks, or experiencing persistent fatigue. They may also experience frequent shortness of breath or lightheadedness symptoms that could put them at risk of fainting. Witnessing these things can be overwhelming and taxing on families, and palliative care providers can help. 

For example, if an individual with progressed Alzheimer’s is having difficulty standing, walking, and completing their daily tasks, it can take a large toll on the family, who may grow increasingly frustrated and stressed. The palliative care team can provide education to the family regarding safe handling techniques for mobility, recommend equipment that could help decrease fall risk, or provide caregiver support resources.

Deciding To Pursue Palliative Care

Choosing to pursue palliative care is a personal decision that should be made after discussion with trusted family and loved ones. It’s important to keep in mind the values and goals of the care recipient when making this decision. 

Choosing to receive palliative care services doesn’t indicate that you or your loved ones are “giving up”. It simply means that your current needs are not being met with the current treatment care plan. By carefully considering their options and overall values, you and your care recipient just might find that palliative care is the next best step to help take control of a chronic condition and live a more peaceful life.

To learn more about palliative care, check if you have access to Trualta’s learning library. 

References

1. Cleveland Clinic. (2021, December 15). Palliative care. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 4, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22850-palliative-care
2. Get Palliative Care. (n.d.). What is palliative care? Retrieved January 4, 2025, from https://getpalliativecare.org/whatis/
3. Better Health Channel. (n.d.). Who’s who in a palliative care team. Better Health Channel. Retrieved January 4, 2025, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/whos-who-in-a-palliative-care-team
4. Caregiver.org. (n.d.). Understanding palliative/supportive care: What every caregiver should know. Retrieved January 4, 2025, from https://www.caregiver.org/resource/understanding-palliativesupportive-care-what-every-caregiver-should-know/