Palliative Care

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Enhancing the quality of life for people living with advanced illness

What is palliative care?

Palliation means relief of symptoms, easing pain and offering support.

Palliative care helps patients and families find assistance in their community when they need it.

Palliative care strives to relieve suffering.

Palliative care provides support for a comfortable and compassionate dying process.

What does palliative care really mean?

Treatment of pain and relief of symptoms that interfere with quality of life.

Support when you feel anxious, depressed or lose hope.

Greater understanding about the patient's medical care plan.

Connection with other people involved in the care of a loved one.

Support that continues for you and your family during times of illness, change or loss.

What types of patients benefit from palliative care?

Palliative care can benefit patients and families living with:

Cancer

Chronic lung disease/Emphysema

Heart disease/heart failure

Stroke

Alzheimer's disease

Other advanced illness, e.g., HIV/AIDS, ALS, Parkinson's and people awaiting transplantation

What does symptom management mean?

Symptoms are unpleasant physical sensations or feelings. They may include pain, anxiety, insomnia, depression, shortness of breath, fatigue/weakness, headache, constipation, vomiting, nausea or loss of appetite.

Palliative care takes an active approach to controlling symptoms so you can function at your best possible level.

What is a palliative care team?

The palliative care team is a partnership between the patient, family members, friends and others that may include:

Your personal physician

Hospital and visiting nurses

Palliative Care physicians

Palliative Care nurses

Palliative Care nurse practitioners

Health Psychologists

Pharmacists

Social workers

Chaplains

Others as needed (e.g., physical therapist)

What will this team do?

Provide physical, emotional and spiritual care that honors and respects your wishes

Provide information about your medications

Help you understand why it is so important to tell your doctors about your wishes regarding health care decisions that could affect your future care should you no longer be able to speak for yourself

Support you and your family when you are worried about becoming a burden, loneliness and isolation or feeling like things are out of control

Fear of dying

Who pays for palliative care?

Most insurance companies pay for the services of the palliative care team. Any service not covered by your insurance will be discussed prior to initiating the non-covered service.

When is palliative care appropriate?

When you first become ill with a life-threatening disease

When you are receiving treatment

After many months or years of struggling with a chronic disease

At the end of life

When you are grieving and experiencing loss

How do I or my family request palliative care?

Speak to your physician or nurse about obtaining a palliative care consultation. Your physician can order a consultation tailored to your needs.

For More Information

Please contact Linda Blum, RN, NP at (415) 600-4576 for more information on the Calfornia Pacific Palliative Care Program.

The Palliative Care Program is made possible by the generous support of donors through the California Paicific Medical Center Foundation. For more information on the Foundation or ways to give, please call (415) 600-4576.

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