What is Palliative Care?

Palliative [pal·li·a·tive, pállee-àytiv] care is medical care focused on relieving suffering and improving quality of life for anyone dealing with a serious illness, at any time, regardless of diagnosis, prognosis or treatment.

Palliative care utilizes a "team-oriented" approach to provide specialized care to the patient and their loved ones. The team usually consists of a nurse, medical social worker, home health aide, and/or volunteer and chaplain (as requested) - all working together and focusing on the needs and wishes of the patient and their loved ones. Emphasis is on helping the individual make the most of each moment of life by providing comfort and relief from pain and symptoms. In most cases, care is provided at the patient's home or other facility such as a skilled nursing facility, assisted living, contracted hospital or acute care setting.

Advance Medical Directives

Advance directives are used to give other people, including health care providers, information about your wishes for medical care. Advance directives are important in case there is ever a time when you are not physically or mentally able to speak for yourself and make your wishes known. The most common types of advance directives are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care.

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOAHC)

A legal document that specifies one or more individuals (called a health care proxy) you would like to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so yourself.

Living Will

A legal document which outlines the kinds of medical care a patient wants and doesn't want. The living will is used only if the patient becomes unable to make decisions for him/herself.

Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Orders

Instructions written by a doctor telling other healthcare providers not to try to restart a patient's heart, using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or other related treatments, if his/her heart stops beating. Usually, DNR orders are written after a discussion between a doctor and the patient and/or family members. DNR orders are written for people who are very unlikely to have a successful result from CPR -- those who are terminally ill or those who are elderly and frail.