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COMFORT.
Support.
Symptom relief.
These are the hallmarks of
good health care. For people with
a serious illness, there’s a type of
medical care devoted specifically to
giving such help: palliative care.
Unique from hospice
Hospice, which addresses the
needs of people at the end of their
lives, provides palliative care.
However, not all palliative care is
hospice-related.
A person receiving hospice care
generally is not expected to live
more than six months and is not
trying to cure the condition.
Palliative care, by comparison, is
available to anyone with a serious
illness, regardless of life expectancy.
It’s possible to receive palliative care
To learn more, visit the
National Hospice and
Palliative Care Organization
website at
caringinfo.org
.
P A L L I A T I V E C A R E
Comfort when
you need it most
Mark Marshall, DO,
MA, FACP, FHM
Chief of Staff,
Hospitalist,
Palliative Medicine
and treatment at the same time.
If you are an inpatient at Sharon
Hospital, ask your nurse for a
palliative care consult.
Team help
A multidisciplinary team is
available through palliative care.
Physical or occupational therapists,
for instance, can help you regain
function. Healthcare providers and
nurses work to prevent or relieve
physical symptoms of disease, such
as fatigue and pain.
A psychologist might help you
and your family handle the stress
and emotional aspects of an illness.
A social worker can often identify
community resources that could
help.
Chaplains may be involved too.
They can help with spiritual issues
that your condition might raise.
When you’re the person who is
ill, you can help set treatment goals.
Ultimately, the aim is to improve
quality of life and to support you and
your family throughout treatment.
Getting care
Medicare, Medicaid and
private insurance may cover some
treatments and medications, but
there may be limits. It’s best to check
coverage before treatment starts.
If you have questions about
palliative care, talk to your
healthcare provider.