Do you have questions about palliative care that your doctor isn’t answering? Are you worried about possible symptoms of palliative care? Do you need to know about what to expect in hospice?
You’re not alone. Even the best doctors can’t be expected to answer all your questions in a timely fashion. That’s where the Palliative Care Advice Service comes in.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is a non-curative approach to help people who have a life-limiting illness. It provides relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness and improves quality of life by addressing all aspects of the patient’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.
The aim is to improve both quality of life and length of life by avoiding or relieving distressing symptoms as well as providing support for other medical treatments. Palliation may be achieved through pharmacological means (medicines) or through various non-pharmacological therapies such as breathing exercises or music therapy sessions.
The goal of palliative care should be pain relief, not hastening death. However, it can be difficult to tell what kind of end-of-life care someone wants without asking them directly.
And while it can feel scary to talk about our own mortality, it’s important that we do so with our loved ones so they can better understand how best to support us when the time comes. If you want your family and friends to know how you would like your final days spent, please take the time now to tell them about your wishes.
How can I find out about end of life care?
It can be hard to find out about end of life care. You might not know where to start or who to talk to. That’s why Palliative Care Advice Service, a free and confidential service providing advice and information on all aspects of end of life care.
They can help you answer your questions about the social, psychological, spiritual and physical needs of patients with cancer at different stages in their treatment. Their staff have been trained in communicating sensitively with people at any stage of their illness and offer impartial advice.
What does the service provide?
The service provides advice and information on all aspects of palliative care, including practical advice for those caring for someone with a life-limiting illness.
They also offer one to one appointments and in depth phone consultations to help people make decisions about their future care needs. The advisers include nurses, social workers and other health professionals who have experience of palliative care work in hospital or community settings.
Palliative Care Advice Service are trained in communication skills and can provide impartial, non-judgmental advice and support that is independent from the services they provide.
Conclusion
It is understandable why people may not want to think about death. We all hope for a long, happy life and want our loved ones to live for many more years. However, as we reach the later stages of our lives it becomes important to plan for the inevitable.
If you or someone you know needs palliative care advice please contact the Palliative Care Advice Service today.
