Philosophy

Palliative, or comfort care, recognizes that death is a normal part of life and strives to prepare patients and their families so we can all die on our own terms.

From the start of a serious or terminal illness, practitioners reduce the burden on family caregivers by identifying and providing for the needs of you and your family.

These needs may be physical, emotional, practical or spiritual.

Physical needs

Palliative care professionals provide highly skilled management of pain and other symptoms such as anxiety, constipation, nausea, breathing difficulties and confusion.

They also help patients and families cope with common changes such as loss of appetite, weakness, bowel and bladder problems, as well as side effects of therapies.

Most pain and other symptoms can be managed at home or in hospice. Some treatments may require diagnostic tests that must be done in a hospital.

A small percentage of patients will need to be admitted to a tertiary palliative care unit for severe and complex symptoms.

Emotional and spiritual needs

The health of the whole person is important in hospice palliative care. Hospice palliative care recognizes emotional and spiritual distress as important sources of suffering requiring support in addition to physical symptoms.

Care teams offer help with non-physical pain through counseling and spiritual support to manage the emotional, social and spiritual impact.

We also offer a variety of bereavement and counseling services to friends and family members before and after a patient’s death.