What is Palliative Care?

Unlike hospice care, which is offered to people with a life expectancy of six months or less, palliative care is offered as part of a continuum of care — from the diagnosis of a serious illness, through life-prolonging and curative therapies, and if necessary, through the transition to comfort care or hospice.

The goal of palliative care is to relieve symptoms and maintain the best possible quality of life for the patient within the limitations of their disease. For many seriously ill people, the management of symptoms means fewer visits to the emergency room and fewer admissions into the hospital. It also means making decisions about care in the crisis mode — when it is difficult to think clearly or make rational choices.

Receiving palliative care means having a complete understanding of your illness, treatment options, and possible outcomes — early on in your disease — so you can actively and confidently participate in the management of your symptoms and direct the treatment plan according to your wishes. It's about how you live.

Your palliative care team includes specially-trained caregivers from several disciplines; these include nurses, social workers, and spiritual care coordinators. Together with your primary care physician, they will do everything possible to help you live well with your disease.

Who is palliative care right for?

What are palliative care principles?