What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is specialized medical care for people suffering from life-threatening illnesses. This type of care focuses on relieving symptoms, stress, and pain associated with illness. Its goal is to improve the patient’s and family’s quality of life while also assisting patients in recovering quickly.
Palliative care is provided to cancer patients, HIV/AIDS patients, and patients suffering from other malignant diseases. Patients who suffer from malignant diseases also suffer from psychological disorders. So this care assists them in minimizing their mental problems. Sometimes patients want to commit suicide due to intolerable pain caused by side effects of medications, chemotherapy, and social stigma. At that point, this care helps to solve this negative feeling and provides moral support.
Simply put, palliative care is the polar opposite of curative care. It basically means they are focusing on comfort because curing whatever illness the person is suffering from is not an option.
Nowadays, healthcare facilities offer comprehensive and professional nurse at home services for a wide range of palliative conditions. Arrange for your service and receive the best possible care.
What are the Main Goals of Palliative Care?
The goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life of people suffering from serious or terminal illnesses, as well as to support their families. Some of the advantages include:
- Help with symptom management- Palliative care specialists can assist people with symptom and pain management.
- Improved quality of life- According to research, patients with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders who received palliative care had a three-point higher quality of life than those who received traditional treatment.
- Reduced risk of depression. Early palliative care is associated with a lower risk of depression in people newly diagnosed with serious illnesses.
- Survival time is extended- People who have received palliative care have had a longer survival rate than those who haven’t.
- Help with decision-making- Palliative care specialists assist people with serious illnesses and their families in making decisions about care and treatment for their illness, as well as support in emotionally coping with the diagnosis.
- Support for family members and caregivers. Palliative care can include educational counseling as well as emotional support for family members caring for a loved one suffering from a serious illness.
- Enhanced caregiver satisfaction- Both patient and caregiver satisfaction are consistently improved by palliative care.
The Palliative Care Team
In palliative care, the individual’s needs are addressed holistically, catering to both medical and non-medical requirements, and may involve any of the following professionals:
Health Care Professional
The central point of an individual’s palliative care will be the Treating Health Professional, who can also be a General Practitioner. They will collaborate with specialist doctors and other allied health professionals to ensure that they remain comfortable and maintain the highest quality of life.
Registered Nurse at Home
If ongoing treatment is required, a registered nurse at home will be assigned to ensure the patient is comfortable throughout their palliative care journey. Treatments can be given in a healthcare setting, such as a hospital, or at home with the assistance of community nurses and home care providers.
Caregivers
Professional caregivers will visit as often as an individual requires and desires to ensure that personal care and companionship make daily living easier. Depending on the amount of care required, this care can range from a few hours to an all-night term.
Social Workers
Social workers can be a source of practical assistance as well as a guide to locating key services such as financial and family support.
Psychologists and Counselors
Palliative care can be a frightening and overwhelming experience for both the patient and their families. Counselors and psychologists are trained to listen and provide guidance and ongoing support to help individuals and families cope with worries, anxieties, or fears.
Charities or Support Organizations
Individuals and their families can be directed to additional specialist support services. As well as to others who have experienced similar situations.
Many people and organizations work together to make each palliative care journey as personalized and comfortable as possible.
Conclusion:
People suffering from chronic, life-threatening illnesses can benefit from palliative care. Which is a multidisciplinary approach to improving their quality of life and overall well-being. It may also include assistance for loved ones or caregivers.
Palliative care may be an option to consider if you or someone in your family suffers from a serious illness. Nurse at home in Chennai provide the best nursing services for palliative conditions and also professional rehabilitation services for a wide range of illnesses.
