What initially comes to the front of your mind when you hear the term “palliative care?” For many people, it’s associated with hospice care. The real purpose of palliative care, however, is to give comfort from effects like pain, vomiting and nausea that are a consequence of either a medical condition or from the treatment for that condition. On occasion, this does come about at the end of life.
Dr. Eric Widera, who practices palliative care at the University of California, San Francisco, points out, “We hear this all the time: ‘They’re not ready for palliative care,’ as if it’s a stage people have to accept, as opposed to something that should be a routine part of care.”
And despite the fact that palliative care, just like hospice care, centers on enhancing quality of life, it’s helpful at any stage in a patient’s condition for symptom management and can be used in tandem with curative treatments.
Research is illustrating a multitude of benefits for patients and their families who decide to implement palliative care, including considerably higher scores on quality of life assessments, less occurrence of depression and emergency room visits, and even longer survival rates.
Live Well at Home, the Carmichael senior care experts, are available to expand upon this care for your loved one. We believe in caring for the whole person, and our exceptional caregivers work diligently to improve the quality of life for each person.
Call on Live Well at Home to learn how we can assist with improving quality of life for seniors receiving either palliative or hospice care with our wide range of individualized in-home care services. We offer a complimentary in-home consultation, during which we can create a care plan to address particular concerns and challenges, offering solutions that supply comfort and security to older adults and peace of mind to those who love them.
Give us a call any time at 916-459-3220 to share the challenges you’re facing, and to allow us to provide the support you need. We’re pleased to offer home care assistance in Carmichael and throughout a variety of cities in California. Visit our Service Area page to see if your neighborhood is included.