by Valerie Johnson

Created on: September 06, 2008   Last Updated: September 14, 2008

The only thing worse than having a serious illness yourself is watching a loved one suffer. The feeling of helplessness can be overwhelming as you watch them suffer through pain, poor appetite, weight loss, nausea, depression or sleeplessness. You fight to keep your own spirits up as you strive to be supportive and encouraging to them. You may feel you are at the end of your rope with nothing to hang on to. There is hope and help. It's called palliative care and it is available at any stage of any illness for any patient.

Palliative care can provide symptomatic relief of serious illnesses and strives to improve the quality of life of the patient and their family. Most people equate palliative care with hospice care. Hospice does provide palliative care during the last stages of a terminal illness. However, palliative care can be provided for a serious illness even during treatment outside of hospice care. It encompasses the whole person and their family, incorporating a wide range of specialties such as doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, massage therapists, pharmacists and nutritionists.

In preparing a family member for palliative care you need first to determine if palliative care is appropriate for them. Have they experienced multiple emergency room visits or hospitalizations for uncontrolled symptoms? Do current treatment options seem to not be working? Has their appetite declined? Do you or your loved one need help with future planning, decision making, emotional or spiritual support? An affirmative answer to these questions indicates that palliative care is an appropriate choice.

How you prepare your loved one depends on whether you are preparing them for hospice care or palliative care in general. How is it different? If your loved one is in the final stages of a terminal illness and is no longer seeking curative treatment, then hospice care is best for them.

HOSPICE CARE

Deciding to stop seeking curative treatment is a very difficult one for both the patient and the family. No one wants to "give up". Being told there's nothing more that can be done throws both patient and family into a tail spin. As difficult as it may be, a frank conversation needs to take place with your loved one. It is very important for you to understand their wishes. Spend some time gathering information on hospice and what it can provide for them and the family.

The majority of terminally ill patients do not want to be placed in a nursing home or spend their final days in a

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>