Palliative care is that multidisciplinary treatment approach followed to treat people with certain kinds of serious illnesses. It aims at providing a quick relief from any pain, symptoms of disease, mental stress and trauma. No matter what the test report says or what the diagnosis, the kind of comprehensive care gives relief from symptoms and improves the living quality of both patient and his family. So, its efficacy lays in the fact that it restores the quality of life. The care is provided by the team of physiotherapists, nurses, occupational therapists and health care professionals. It may be offered across several settings including the home, hospital or in several nursing facilities. There is specific team of interdisciplinary care providers to help with the treatment, provide ways to pain management and symptom management. Medicines, therapies and certain treatments have palliative effect.
Important facts you need to know
- If the family faces life-threatening illness, the type of care can improve the quality of life of the whole family. It may help in handling physical, spiritual and psychological issues.
- people of middle-income countries need this type of care even more
- health professionals need to be trained immensely to give this sort of care service
- an early palliative care or intervention may help to avoid the hospital admission
The best part is that the kind of care helps in the identification of the disease at the earliest. So, if the disease is identified early, the treatment may be done easily and quite conveniently. For the treatment of any disease, quick and correct assessment is required. Here an entire team is required for the care services. The kind of care offered by the team is comprehensive treatment which includes addressing the needs of the patient and his family, giving bereavement counseling so that the patient lives an active life. It is a recognized care identified under human rights. The treatment and care service is meant specifically for the person and may cover baby care as well.
A wide range of diseases it can address
The type of care service may be required to address a variety of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular ailments, AIDS, diabetes, respiratory ailments, etc. Other diseases that may also need this sort of care are kidney diseases, multiple sclerosis, liver diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, tuberculosis, dementia, etc. No matter what disease one suffers from, pain is the leading symptom. Patients suffering from HIV, Cardiovascular diseases, etc, will be experiencing some sort of pain. Most of the people don’t have access to this sort of care. National health systems or policies do fail to offer this sort of care. Pain relief medicines may be given to the patient. The main emphasis here is primary healthcare or home based community care. Children with any specific condition also need this care. The care service may be taken under the following circumstances:
- if you are unable to care for yourself
- people who haven’t received any kind of benefit from evidence-based treatment
- people who can’t participate in any of the clinical trials
By adopting this care treatment, the person gets relief from the symptoms surrounding the disease. Full-body checkup may also form the part of palliative medicine. The nurses provide treatment to the patients by working along with physicians. Just after the diagnosis of this condition, the treatment starts.
