Who benefits from palliative care?
Patients who can benefit from palliative care include those with serious illness and those coping with advanced stages of chronic or recurring illnesses:
- Newly diagnosed medical illness
- Alzheimer’s disease and forms of dementia
- Cancer
- Diabetes, liver or kidney failure
- Heart and lung disease
- Frequent or serious infections
- Serious brain or nervous system disorders like Parkinson’s disease, stroke or ALS
When can I receive palliative care?
You can receive palliative care at the same time that you are receiving other treatments for your illness.
The palliative care team works alongside your primary physician. The team can help coordinate your care among all your healthcare providers and assist with planning for discharge from the hospital.
How does palliative care differ from hospice?
Hospice care focuses on caring for people at the end of their life. Palliative care, on the other hand, is available to you at any time during your illness. Its availability does not depend on whether or not your condition can be cured.
How to request a consultation
A referral from a patient’s physician is necessary before a consultation. Please speak with your physician or nurse.