Living with a chronic illness or a serious medical condition can be challenging, but palliative care can help.
If you’ve never heard of this form of care or aren’t quite sure how it works, you’re not alone: Palliative care is often misunderstood and underutilized. Learn what palliative care is and how this valuable resource can benefit a wide variety of individuals.
Understanding Palliative Care
According to a national survey, more than 7 in 10 U.S. adults are unfamiliar with palliative care. Among those who are aware of it, many misunderstand its purpose and scope. To fully understand palliative care, it’s helpful to look at the what, who, where, when, and why behind this valuable form of care.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is an interdisciplinary model of care focused on managing and supporting the complex needs of individuals experiencing serious and chronic medical conditions.
Who is eligible for palliative care?
Palliative care is available for anyone with a serious illness or medical condition who wants to increase their physical comfort, outlook, and overall quality of life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 56.8 million people globally need palliative care.
Where does palliative care take place?
Palliative care typically takes place in a hospital or clinical setting. However, WesleyLife is overhauling the traditional model by expanding access to clients’ homes, allowing them to receive care in the place they’re most comfortable.
When can a person receive palliative care?
A person can engage (or disengage) palliative care any time they like, depending on their needs. Palliative care is a valuable resource at any point during a person’s health journey — not just in the later stages of life.
Why should someone consider palliative care?
Palliative care goes beyond standard medical care to support all aspects of a person’s well-being and help them enjoy life — even amid difficult circumstances. Palliative care also helps clients manage multiple medical providers, ensuring a unified and coordinated approach to receiving quality care.
Components of Palliative Care
Understanding the philosophy behind palliative care is an important first step, but you may wonder how these care plans play out practically. Palliative care can look different for everyone because it is personalized to a client’s needs and goals.
Some possible aspects of palliative care include:
- Symptom management
- Emotional and psychological support
- Spiritual care
- Social support
- Care coordination
- Patient education
Myths and Misconceptions About Palliative Care
Among U.S. adults, just 12.6% accurately understand palliative care. To better understand palliative care, be sure you can distinguish fact from fiction.
Myth #1: Palliative care is the same as hospice care.
One of the most common misunderstandings is that palliative care and hospice are the same. In reality, these forms of care share some similarities but are by no means interchangeable. Hospice care is specifically for individuals with a life-limiting illness and a medical prognosis of six months or less who choose to forego curative treatment. Palliative care is available for a far broader range of circumstances and can coincide with curative treatments.
Myth #2: Palliative care is just for patients who are dying or are living with a certain medical condition.
The most common misconception about palliative care, according to the national survey, is associating it with death. In reality, palliative care is a valuable resource for anyone dealing with a serious medical condition, regardless of their life expectancy or medical prognosis. According to the WHO, palliative care can help with a wide variety of conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases.
Myth #3: Palliative care is all about pain management.
Pain is a common reason for a palliative care referral, but pain management is only one aspect of what care can entail. Palliative care aims to support the individual’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Myth #4: Palliative care is incompatible with conventional medical care.
Some people believe accepting palliative care necessitates giving up treatment. This is far from accurate. A person can continue to receive conventional medical care (including curative treatments) while receiving palliative care. In fact, palliative care directors work with a client’s provider(s) and help coordinate services to ensure the client’s needs are comprehensively met.
Myth #5: Palliative care is cost-prohibitive.
Palliative care may sound like a luxury, but many people are surprised to discover it fits within their budget. That’s because many insurance policies, including Medicare Part B, include coverage for palliative care services. Talk to your insurance provider to learn whether you may be eligible to receive palliative care at little or no cost to you.
How to Access Palliative Care
If you’re interested in receiving palliative care, you can ask your medical provider for a referral. You can also contact a palliative care provider, such as WesleyLIfe, directly.
Palliative care from WesleyLife is patient-led, so you’re invited to take charge of your well-being and access the services you need to feel fully supported. Our team is ready to discuss your needs and goals and answer any questions.
