Palliative care helps people with a serious illness feel better; physically, emotionally and spiritually. It focuses on improving quality of life at any stage of an illness. An example is precision pain management. Because people deal with pain differently, we listen to patients, family members and doctors to manage pain at the right level and the right time.
Care includes:
- Managing pain and other symptoms to your desired level
- Medical support for shortness of breath
- Help with fatigue and sleep problems
- Managing constipation
- Managing nausea or loss of appetite
- Reducing anxiety and depression
- Spiritual care and medical social services
Palliative care can begin as soon as someone is diagnosed with an illness. It does not signal that a person has given up hope for recovery or a cure.
