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It has been long acknowledged that communication in health care, and particularly end of life care, is incredibly important. These conversations can be challenging but are critical. Clear and transparent communication about goals for care can alleviate anxiety and improves the likelihood that patients receive the care they want.
Palliative care is a medical subspecialty delivered in hospitals and in outpatient clinics. However, in cases of advanced illness, especially at the end of life, inpatient and outpatient settings for palliative care may not be a patient’s preferences.
The novel corona virus disease pandemic (COVID-19) has led to a lot of lifestyle changes and significant distress among individuals. Most of the elderly population with various co-morbidities are at an advanced risk of contracting this disease with an increased risk of dying.
Music is a universal phenomenon that permeates our everyday lives. Most often people recognize the innate nature of music and its role in our lives, but the concept of integrating music experiences with therapy can be elusive.
Palliative care specialists are often termed “good stewards of resources,” specifically because of the time they spend identifying various systems, products and venues of care. They promote communication between the various care providers on behalf of the patient and family.
How palliative care can help in patients with Congestive Heart Failure.An interdisciplinary palliative care intervention in advanced Congestive Heart Failure patients shows consistently greater benefits in quality of life, anxiety, depression, and spiritual well-being compared with standard care alone.
700-800 patients enter the last stage of cancer every day, which is untreatable.The most common symptoms that the terminally ill patients often experienceis, excruciating pain and sudden complications during their last days. Seeing a loved one cry in pain is emotionally taxing and often causes depression.
Shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms for people living with a serious illness. It can be caused by asthma, cancer, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), pneumonia, or other conditions.
Dialysis does not always help people live longer. For those 80 years old or older and frail or with other illnesses, dialysis does not extend life. For some, the best way to treat kidney failure may be to let nature take its course. We call this Palliative care. It may also be called conservative management with no dialysis.
Frailty in older adults is as an indicator for initiating palliative careFrail older adults are more susceptible to adverse health outcomes, including delirium, falls, functional decline, reduced mobility, social withdrawal, institutionalization and death.
A lot of people with neurological disease require palliative care. Diseases like Parkinson’s, Motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)and other neurological conditions, such as stroke, brain injury and brain tumours can benefit from palliative care.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling and progressive condition. A disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.The progressive course of MS and the related functional damage substantially affect patients' daily activities, autonomy and affects their quality of life.
Dealing with a stroke is a difficult process, but palliative care helps make the quality of life better either by addressing pain or therapy issues and helping people find the treatment that improves their quality of life while treating them with respect and dignity.
Palliative care is really the essence of all good medical care. It is the reinstatement of the humane aspects of medical care and is complementary to all medical specialties, a common thread running through the total care of all patients.
When a trigger or a verbal or non-verbal cue suggesting emotional distress is recognized, patients and families should be asked directly about their feelings. It’s OK to ask, “Are you struggling?” or to say, “I’m wondering if you’re feeling [overwhelmed/sad/angry/scared] by what’s going on.”
• Commitment: First and foremost is the commitment to deliver compassionate care for patients and their families.• Compassion: Human dignity always comes first in compassionate care. Compassionate Care is at the very heart of what we do and why we exist. It is doing the right thing for the right reason.
1. The patient’s mild or moderate, intermittent or permanent loss of cognitive or physical ability for independent self-care as observed or acknowledged by the patient2. Change in the patient’s role, family structure or potential care network (e.g. childbirth, divorce, employment status change or death)
Until Mom lived with us, I didn't know signs of a UTI in her. One morning Mom was up early and smelled of urine. She was agitated and angry but insisted she felt fine. A doctor and a urine test confirmed a UTI. A week of antibiotics cleared up the UTI, anger and agitation.