End of life and palliative care are both types of care used for patients who have illnesses that cannot be cured. Palliative care is health care that is designed to relieve the symptoms associated with illnesses, whether curable or terminal. End of life care is a type of medical care for patients who have received palliative care but their incurable diseases have progressed and symptoms can no longer be controlled effectively; these patients are nearing death.
There are many different types of terminal illnesses, from cancers to progressive multiple sclerosis. As these diseases progress, they cause symptoms to increase in intensity or new symptoms to occur. As these conditions cannot be cured, treatment methods are used to manage symptoms in such a way that allows patients to be as comfortable as possible. Palliative and end of life care both try to accomplish that goal for most patients.
As part of a comprehensive combination of health care techniques, palliative and end of life care utilize input and treatments from a complete team. This team is made up of traditional medical staff such as doctors and nurses, alternative medical professionals such as acupuncture therapists and holistic healers, and religious clergymen. The idea is to address all aspects of a patient’s life that can be affected by a terminal illness. Palliative care has the potential to prolong a terminal patient’s life by reducing suffering, but end of life care can make a dying patient’s last days less detrimental.
Generally, palliative care is maintained through outpatient departments of a hospital or through a doctor’s office. By the time a patient transitions from palliative to end of life care, hospice services are usually required for around-the-clock monitoring. Hospice care can be maintained in a hospital or other medical facility. In some cases, hospice care can be provided in the patient or family member’s home.
In hospice facilities and home settings, it is possible for both palliative and end of life care to be provided to a patient. Hospice facilities and care staff can provide palliative care for patients who are in the beginning stages of a terminal illness as an attempt to improve the quality of life of the patient as the disease progresses. End of life hospice care provides all of the medical care, support, and supplies that are needed to try to make a dying patient as comfortable as possible.
Although palliative and end of life care are designed to help make a patient more comfortable, there are some cases when efforts fail and not all of a patient’s suffering can be avoided. If a disease progresses very rapidly or symptoms do not respond to treatment, neither type of care may help. During diagnosis, both types of care should be discussed to weigh the potential drawbacks.