Palliative care is designed to provide relief from chronic pain. It is closely related to hospice care, except that it doesn’t apply only to terminally ill patients. Palliative care is not focused on curing the patient, but rather helping them deal with their symptoms. Typically, this includes pain, but it can also be applied to shortness of breath, depression, and other symptoms of bigger health issues. When someone experiences these things, there is a natural decrease in the happiness and the quality of life that is experienced. Palliative care is designed to try and help fix this problem.
Here, the emphasis is placed on pain relief. Things like medication, social interaction, religious services, and other non-medical treatments are used to help people thrive despite their health conditions. Medical treatments might also be used, but this is something different from palliative care. Each case is a little bit different.
There are a lot of people that can benefit from palliative care, but unfortunately it isn’t as well known as other types of care that are out there. And it isn’t just restricted to the elderly. People with ALS, AIDS, MS, Parkinson’s disease, clinical depression, and more. Yes, there’s a lot of overlap within these populations and seniors, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be that way. Palliative care is designed to help people who are suffering, and this isn’t something that is reserved for just older individuals.
According to some estimates, there are around 6 million people in the United States that qualify for palliative care. Only a small percentage of these people are currently receiving this service.
Palliative care or hospice care can be a great choice for an elderly loved one, if they qualify to receive these services. Before you get started finding a new caregiver though, be sure to see if your current caregiver offers these services. If you haven’t yet started your search for senior care, ask any potential caregivers if they also have these services available. This way, if a transition of care ever becomes necessary, the same service can be used and continuity of care can be kept as consistent as possible. This isn’t always possible, but when it is it can be a great benefit to your older loved one. It will make things more stable and reliable for them, and multiple studies have confirmed that this is helpful both for physical and mental health.
That’s why we provide these services (and more) at Paradise In-Home Care. Our goal is to do what needs to be done to help your elderly loved one live the best possible life that they can, all while helping your family to live a less stressful life.
So, give us a call today if you have questions about this type of care–or anything else. Our free consultation service is there to help you get started at no cost or obligation and ensure that you are getting the best possible care on the first try. Our knowledgeable staff will help you get started and make this process easier for you.
Leave a Reply