What is Palliative Care?

By Paige Tobie

What is Palliative Care?

• Palliative Care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness.

• Palliative Care focuses on providing relief from symptoms and stress of a serious illness, with the goal of improving quality of life for both the person and their family.

• The Palliative Care team is a group of specialty-trained physicians, advanced practice providers (NPs/ PAs), nurses, social workers and chaplains.

• The Palliative Care team works with the person’s other medical providers to provide an extra layer of support.

• Palliative Care can help at any age, at any stage in a serious illness, and can be provided along with curative treatment.

The Palliative Care Team Will:

• Treat symptoms to improve quality of life

• Help talk about your goals and what’s most important

• Help with medical decisions and preparing for the future

• Provide relief from the stress of serious illness

• Provide spiritual support

• Assist with advance care planning

For more information about Palliative Care, please click here: https://getpalliativecare.org/ For more information regarding local access to palliative care, please click here: https://www.mainehealth.org/Services/Palliative-Care