The senior years bring many challenges, sometimes in the form of serious illnesses. But whether these illnesses are chronic or acute, the effect they have on life has a broad scope. This is where palliative care comes in. Let's take a closer look at palliative care and how seniors can benefit from it.
What Is Palliative Care?
Palliative care refers to specialized medical care for seniors with serious illnesses. This type of care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, dietitians, and other healthcare professionals. The goal is to provide relief from symptoms and the stress of serious illnesses.
Although it can include hospice care, it is not limited to that. It is care for anyone dealing with a serious illness or its residual effects, whether they were recently diagnosed or they are on the road to recovery.
How Seniors Can Benefit From Palliative Care?
Quality of Life
Palliative care can help improve quality of life. Some of the illnesses that are treated are heart disease, cancer, lung disease, dementia, and kidney failure, among others. Concerns, symptoms, and side effects that are addressed include but aren't limited to: pain, depression, anxiety, weight loss, finances, housing, and transportation
Care Where You Need It
Care can be given at home, at a cancer center, long-term care facility, in the hospital, or another facility. It all depends on the exact circumstances.
Close Communication
Because palliative care involves an entire team, seniors have a wide variety of experts who will listen. The team can work together to understand a senior's needs and create treatment options and choices to best fit the senior's condition. This allows more personalized care and control.
These are just a few of the many benefits of palliative care. If you or your senior think it can possibly improve the quality of life for everyone involved, why not speak to a physician about it?
Caring Senior Service has the experience, compassion, and training necessary for comprehensive home care, and we also offer a wide range of home care services that are all designed to make life easier for seniors and their families. To learn more about the services we provide, contact your local Caring team today!