Palliative Care - RELIEVING SUFFERING
Palliative Care—A New Approach to the Relief of SufferingThe following is taken from an article by Jennifer Ballentine, MA, Manager of Professional Programs, Colorado Palliative Care Partnership, Cordt T. Kassner, PhD, Executive Director, Colorado Palliative Care Partnership, and Paula Nelson-Marten, RN PhD AOCN, Associate Professor, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center School of Nursing. Palliative (PAH-lee-uh-tiv) care focuses on comfort rather than cure, aggressively treating distressing symptoms of serious illness and side effects of treatments. It also works to support personal choices and participation in care planning; the goal is to promote quality of life to the greatest extent possible. The palliative care approach involves a team of professionals: the physician and nurse work on physical problems, while a social worker and/or chaplain are available to help with emotional, spiritual, and practical concerns. Some palliative care programs offer nursing assistance with personal care and volunteers for family relief and companionship. The team members can help you focus on what you want to achieve and what is realistic in managing your illness. They can also help address fears and anxieties—yours and those of your family members, too. When Can You Get Palliative Care? Palliative care can begin at any point in the course of a serious or life-limiting illness and be provided side-by-side with treatment oriented toward cure. Many chronic conditions, such as cancer, are well suited to the approach. Many hospitals offer palliative care consultations: The team can talk with you and your physicians to clarify your goals and develop a care plan. You might see that team only once, or you might receive ongoing attention—each palliative care program is structured differently and offers a different range of services. How Is Palliative Care Paid For? At this writing, Medicare will cover one palliative care consultation visit from a hospice physician, and some private insurers and managed care organizations are adding palliative care benefits. The Veterans Health Administration offers palliative care services at no extra charge to qualified persons. Palliative care can also be obtained through private practice physicians and advanced practice nurses and nurse practitioners on a fee-for-service basis. Where Can You Get Palliative Care? You should talk first to your primary physician or the specialist treating you to discuss what services might be helpful and available. You can also ask your hospital of choice about their palliative care program. Many hospice organizations also offer palliative care programs for individuals whose illness is not terminal or who want to continue curative treatment. You can also contact either the Colorado Palliative Care Partnership, www.coloradopalliativecare.org, or the Colorado Hospice Organization, www.coloradohospice.org (both Web sites have searchable databases of organizations offering palliative care) or call 719-594-9233 or 303-756-1360. Palliative care is a new and growing field in health care. But in many ways it is what doctors and nurses and caring people have been doing all along: helping people feel better so they can live well to the end of life and never suffer needlessly. |
“My silent voice is silent no more—nurture relationships today, not delaying until tomorrow. Cancer changes our lives in beautiful and unexpected ways. Amen.”—Bonnie Pichler, Survivor
Colorado Breast Cancer Task ForceThis task force of the Colorado Cancer Coalition meets on the second Wednesday of every other month, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m., at the American Cancer Society office in Denver. Meetings are open to everyone. Conference call access is available across the state. For more information, visit www.coloradocancercoalition.org |
