Palliative care is a special kind of care for people who have a serious medical issue. It focuses on relieving pain and other symptoms while addressing the psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of you, your family members and caregivers.
The goal of palliative care is to provide the best quality of life for patients and families living with serious illness. It is not disease- or age-specific.
Palliative care is focused on relief of pain and other symptoms while addressing the psychological, social, cultural, emotional and spiritual needs of you and your family. Palliative care can be provided at the same time as curative treatment – it goes beyond senior care and home care because it's provided to people of all ages at a variety of different locations.
Hospice care, on the other hand, is intended for patients who have a life expectancy of 6 months or less, who are no longer focusing on curative treatment.
A typical palliative care team includes a physician, social worker, spiritual counselor, pharmacist, nurses and specialists. If needed, a therapist, dietitian or Home Health Aide may be added to your team as well.
Palliative care clinical teams are available at hospitals and many clinics. Palliative home care can also be provided, at home, in assisted living facilities, and in long-term care facilities.
There are three ways to pay for palliative care services:
Keep in mind not all private insurances cover palliative care services. Medicare and Medicaid also have specific requirements that must be met before they will pay for palliative care.
